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The Digital Commons Policy Summit 2025 – Digital Commons and the Open Internet Stack for a Competitive Europe will take place on the 20th and 21st November in Brussels.
The Digital Commons Policy Summit 2025 serves as a pivotal moment in Europe’s digital transformation and the pursuit of European digital sovereignty. Organized by the NGI Commons consortium in close collaboration with the European Commission, this summit brings together policymakers, regulators, funders, and practitioners to chart a unified path forward for Digital Commons in Europe.
Over the past decade, the Next Generation Internet initiative has drawn out, funded, fostered and mapped Digital Commons, sustaining its vitality and producing real tools grounded in NGI’s core values of human-centricity, openness, inclusion, and trustworthiness. These commons include end users and organisations, both public and private, by design, offering the natural place to engage them in critical discussions on sovereignty, resilience, and open source adoption.
Digital Commons are necessary, vital, and value-driven. Yet without an overarching narrative, the effect on the ground risks fragmentation rather than integration. To unlock their full potential, we must bridge the gap between bottom-up movements and top-down regulatory efforts, a role that European and national commons initiatives are increasingly working to fulfil.
The question is no longer whether Digital Commons are valuable, but rathe how we scale them effectively as necessary infrastructure for achieving European digital autonomy.
The Digital Commons Policy Summit 2025 aims to:
- Present a clear roadmap for Digital Commons in Europe, prioritizing scaling-up initiatives in and by Member States
- Discuss existing and future funding mechanisms that ensure both flexibility in focus and long-term sustainability
- Build the case for public procurement as a powerful movement, while addressing regulatory hurdles and opportunities
- Explore opportunities in aligned EU technical developments like the Open Internet Stack for Digital Commons
- Elevate practitioner perspectives to show they are vital for effective policy recommendations
Who should attend
This Summit brings together stakeholders who can drive systemic change:
- Regional, national, and European Commission policymakers
- Regulators, legislators, and standardization bodies
- Funders and foundations
- Chief Innovation Officers and Chief Information Officers from European companies
- Chief Science Officers and Chief Technical Officers from major cities
- Academics working on Digital Commons, sociology, philosophy, and emergent technology
- Open source practitioners aiming to enlarge their ecosystems
Strategic Session: Member States & EDIC
The Strategic Session introduces the NGI Commons roadmap and policy recommendations targeting especially Member States. We will discuss the role of Member States, current Commons initiatives, and priorities to scale up participation in the Digital Commons EDIC.
Open Internet Stack Session
Exploring what role Digital Commons will play in the Open Internet Stack and examining long-term sustainability within the FP10 Multi Financial Framework (MFF), with input from funders, EU programs, philanthropies, Commons communities, and policy designers.
Public Sector Needs Session
Examining how regulatory and legal frameworks can support Commons, with particular focus on public procurement, a key output of NGI Commons. The urgency of this challenge demands immediate and coordinated action. Public procurement represents a powerful lever to create sustainable markets for Digital Commons and drive their adoption across the public sector.
Identity & Digital Wallets
Identity is a key issue in Digital Commons. While we’re used to national identity systems, we often identify ourselves through American hyperscalers. This session discusses legal issues, eIDAS, and the impact of digital wallets. As EU Digital Identity Wallets provide safe, reliable, and private means of digital identification for everyone in Europe, can they also foster social and technical integration toward the Commons?
The Commoners Session: Practitioner Voices & Funding
This session brings perspectives from open source practitioners and Digital Commons advocates captured through depth interviews and comprehensive project and domain analysis. Our efforts and recommendations are grounded in real practice. We will discuss long-term sustainability of this new phase in Digital Commons within the MFF, engaging with funders (EU programs, philanthropies), Commons communities, and policy designers.
Strategic Clarity
Discover the NGI Commons roadmap for scaling Digital Commons across Member States and learn how new programmes are accelerating Europe’s digital sovereignty.
Policy & Funding Insights
Understand the role of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), explore sustainable funding mechanisms, and learn about public procurement as a powerful lever for change.
Practitioner Perspectives
Hear directly from open source practitioners and Digital Commons advocates. Our recommendations are grounded in real practice, depth interviews, and comprehensive domain analysis.
Networking & Influence
Connect with peers who share your vision. Bring your ideas to this beehive of thought and discover new policy concepts to influence your organisation, city, and country.
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13:30 – 14:00 |
Arrival & Registration |
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14:00 – 14:30 |
Welcome and Introduction
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14:30 – 15:30 |
High-Level Policy Session “Digital Sovereignty: The Role of the EU Budget and public investment in Shaping the Internet”
Format: Panel discussion with MEPs (Members of ITRE) Focus: Addressing funding gaps in EU digital policy |
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15:30 – 15:45 |
Coffee Break |
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15:45 – 16:45 |
Strategic Session “EDIC & Member States: How to Operationalise Digital Commons at Scale”
Format: Keynotes + moderated discussion with Member State representatives and EC officials Focus: The Strategic Session introduces the NGI Commons roadmap and policy recommendations targeting especially Member States |
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16:45 – 17:45 |
The Open Internet Stack “Open Internet Stack (OIS): What role can the Commons play in the Stack”
Format: Roundtable Focus: Long-term sustainability of Digital Commons in the MFF; discussion with funders (EU programs, philanthropies), Commons communities, and policy designers |
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8:30 – 9:15 |
Morning Coffee |
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9:15 – 10:30 |
Public Sector Needs Session / Regulatory and legal changes “Commons for Governments: Identity, Procurement, Legal Status, and Market Access” Format: Expert panel with public procurement officials, legal scholars, and Commons representatives Focus: How regulatory and legal frameworks can support the Commons |
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10:30 – 10:45 |
Coffee Break |
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10:45 – 11:45 |
The Commoners – Funding Session “What Do the Commons Need? Towards a New Funding Architecture and Technical Reference Framework”
Format: Discussion with funders (EU programs, philanthropies), Commons communities, and policy designers Focus: |
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11:45 – 12:30 |
Closing Remarks & EC Statement
Key Element: Public commitment or statement of support for Digital Commons—possibly announcement of a new action, funding line, or strategy inclusion |
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12:30 – 13:30 |
Lunch Break & Networking |
Registration is free, but mandatory.
Please note that in-person attendance is limited. If you’re not allocated a seat, the entire event will be accessible online so you can follow along remotely.
Speakers
More speakers will be announced soon!
European Commission
European Parliament
European Parliament
European Parliament
Martel Innovate
French Prime Minister Services
European Commission
OpenForum Europe; RISE
Sovereign Tech Agency
OpenFuture Foundation
Aarhus University
Citymesh
Commons Network
Blender
Matrix.org Foundation
F-Droi
GlobaLeaks
The Digital Commons Policy Summit 2025 is co-organised by the NGI Commons consortium.
NGI Commons aims to elaborate on a long-term strategy for digital and internet commons, which are critical for Europe’s sovereignty and trust, creating a more coherent European funding landscape across both public and private sectors.
Stay Connected
For questions about the event, please contact:
commons[at]ngi.eu or fill in our contact form.