EU Tech Sovereignty: A milestone for Public Code? Now implementation is key
The European Commission published its Technological Sovereignty Package on 3 June 2026, containing the new "Open Source Strategy". If implemented, it could mark a paradigm shift by adopting the Free Software Foundation Europe’s “Public Money? Public Code!” principle. Its success will depend on binding rules, long-term funding, and meaningful civil society involvement.
The European Union currently spends an estimated €264 billion per year, predominantly on proprietary IT products and services, cementing systemic dependencies and vendor lock-in. To counter this, the European Commission’s new strategy positions Free Software, also known as Open Source, as a strategic enabler for European competitiveness, explicitly recognising the freedoms to use, study, share, and improve software. The upcoming Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA) introduces a Free Software first principle for “public cloud and AI software procurement”, requiring public administrations to make software purchased with public funds available for reuse. However, loopholes might be exploited and the non-binding Strategy now needs strong backing by the Commission to achieve technological sovereignty through Free Software.
“The European Commission’s explicit recognition of ‘Public Money? Public Code!’ in this strategy, nine years after the FSFE launched the initiative, could become a major step forward for software freedom in Europe. However, the Commission still falls short on concrete goals, milestones, and secure funding for Free Software. The procurement reform will be a test: ‘Public Money? Public Code!’ must become a mandatory requirement for public tendering. Redirecting even half of Europe’s €264 billion in public IT spending from proprietary lock-in to Free Software would boost European tech sovereignty”,
says Johannes Näder, FSFE Senior Policy Project Manager.
“We welcome the Commission’s commitment to invest across the entire software stack, including Free Software operating systems for mobile devices, which is essential for device neutrality and user choice. It also creates opportunities for individuals, public administrations, and companies to develop and maintain technology under their own control. What matters now is implementation. These commitments need secured, long-term funding, meaningful involvement of independent experts and civil society, and effective enforcement of the Digital Markets Act to ensure Free Software can thrive in a fair market”,
says Lucas Lasota, FSFE Legal Programme Manager.
Key elements of the Tech Sovereignty Package
- To counter the structural disadvantages faced by European SMEs, and Free Software companies in particular, under frameworks historically tailored to proprietary vendors, CADA introduces a Free Software first requirement, supported by new tendering guidelines to eliminate vendor lock-in, but mainly for public cloud and AI contracts.
- The package prioritises critical technology areas for Free Software development, including semiconductors such as RISC-V, cloud stacks, AI frameworks, and Free Software mobile operating systems.
- The EU aims to mobilise €2 billion over seven years "for all measures under the open source strategy", including a maintenance instrument to provide sustained financial support for critical dependencies – still a small fraction of the €264 billion spent yearly on proprietary software and services.
- In partnership with Member States and European Digital Infrastructure Consortia (EDICs), the EU aims to reach at least 30 million active users for Free Software collaboration tools and secure messaging by 2030.
- The Commission addresses the lack of independent digital education and tools in the education sector by announcing support for a Free Software suite for schools and universities, as well as vendor-agnostic training.
The FSFE will actively engage with the European Parliament, Member States, and civil society partners to transform these strategic goals into concrete, legally binding projects.