The EU’s €2T budget overlooks a key tech pillar: Open source

The European Union’s ambitious €2 trillion budget, designed to fortify the bloc's future over the next seven years, has sparked debate regarding its priorities. While the budget promises to boost European autonomy, competitiveness, and resilience, particularly in areas such as cybersecurity and innovation, a crucial aspect of the digital landscape appears to have been overlooked: open-source software. This omission raises concerns about the long-term sustainability and digital sovereignty of the EU's technological infrastructure. Specifically, the budget proposals offer little concrete funding or explicit strategic support for open-source initiatives. Open-source software forms the bedrock of much of the digital infrastructure, including operating systems, cloud platforms, and critical security tools. Without dedicated investment, Europe risks relying heavily on software developed and maintained outside of its control, potentially undermining its digital autonomy goals and increasing vulnerability to supply chain disruptions. This lack of focus impacts European businesses, citizens, and policymakers alike. Businesses may find it harder to leverage cost-effective, secure, and customizable solutions, hindering innovation. Citizens could face reduced control over their data and diminished privacy if critical digital services become reliant on proprietary systems. Policymakers must reassess budget allocations to ensure the EU's digital ambitions are built on a strong foundation of open-source principles. Looking ahead, this issue highlights the importance of a comprehensive digital strategy that addresses the critical role of open-source technology. Policymakers will likely face pressure to amend the budget to reflect a more holistic approach to digital sovereignty and long-term technological independence within the EU. Future discussions will focus on whether the existing budgetary framework will be revised.