European digital sovereignty: "Any form of dependence is bad"

The EU is actively discussing digital sovereignty, aiming to reduce reliance on non-European technology providers, particularly US Big Tech. Michiel Leenaars from the NLnet Foundation highlights the crucial need for sustainable funding mechanisms to support European digital infrastructure projects. His organization focuses on fostering open-source alternatives across the entire tech stack, from hardware to software applications. NLnet supports a wide array of initiatives through targeted funding, ranging from €5,000 to €50,000, often supplemented by expertise in areas like legal compliance, security audits, and performance optimization. This approach, despite NLnet's relatively small team and budget of around €15 million annually, has enabled them to fund over 1,450 projects across approximately 80 countries. The foundation emphasizes that many critical digital challenges can be addressed by supporting individual experts and ensuring the seamless integration of various open-source components. Funding for these efforts largely comes from the European Commission's "Next Generation Internet" program, with additional contributions from national governments like the Netherlands and France, as well as corporate donations and private individuals. Leenaars stresses that true digital independence is achieved not by the origin of technology, but by the ability to control and replace it, advocating for a robust and accessible European digital ecosystem.