EU's Tech Future: Build It Open 🚀💡
Tech
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The European Union is focusing on open source, largely through the efforts of GitHub. The European Commission is developing “Towards European Open Digital Ecosystems,” seeking to bolster the EU’s technological independence. Almost 25 million EU developers contribute to public projects, making over 155 million contributions in the last year. The Commission aims to support European companies leveraging open source for business success. Over 900 individuals have provided feedback on the open source policy, encompassing maintainers, startups, companies, and researchers. Responses are requested by February 3 (midnight CET) concerning specific policy areas, representing a crucial opportunity to shape the future of EU tech policy.
GitHub Champions EU’s “Towards European Open Digital Ecosystems” Strategy
GitHub recognizes the vital role of open source in driving innovation, security, and economic competitiveness, and strongly supports the European Union’s newly announced “Towards European Open Digital Ecosystems” strategy. This initiative, focused on developing a strategic framework and funding measures, represents a crucial step in bolstering the EU’s open source sector and enhancing its technological sovereignty. GitHub has long advocated for similar initiatives, most recently highlighting the need for a European Sovereign Tech Fund to invest in the maintenance of critical basic open source technologies.
A Developer Powerhouse: The EU’s Open Source Contribution
Recent data from GitHub’s Innovation Graph reveals the immense potential of the EU’s open source community. Almost 25 million EU developers are actively contributing to public projects on GitHub, generating over 155 million contributions in the last year alone. This demonstrates the significant investment and passion within the European developer ecosystem. The EU’s support for this sector promises to unlock further growth and innovation.
Key Pillars of the Strategy: Supporting Open Source Businesses
The “Towards European Open Digital Ecosystems” strategy aims to transform European open source projects into successful businesses. This will be achieved by improving access to public procurement opportunities and providing crucial growth capital for open source companies. GitHub believes that fostering sustainable business models surrounding open source is essential. Recognizing that not all open source projects are commercially driven, the strategy also prioritizes the long-term sustainability of non-commercially produced components, benefiting the entire community.
Call for Community Input: Shaping the Future of EU Tech Policy
The European Commission is actively seeking input from the open source community to inform the development of this strategy. Over 900 individuals have already shared their perspectives, covering critical topics such as sustainable funding, business model development, and access to procurement. The “Call for Evidence” provides a vital opportunity for developers, startups, companies, and researchers to contribute. The deadline for submissions is February 3 (midnight CET). GitHub Developer Policy encourages all stakeholders to participate and ensure the next generation of European digital policy is truly reflective of the needs and priorities of its developers.
This article is AI-synthesized from public sources and may not reflect original reporting.