Together with leading companies from Europe’s open source industry, Univention has signed an open letter addressed to the European Commission, all Members of the European Parliament, and all EU governments.
The letter calls for the “Open Source First” principle to be enshrined as a binding requirement within the EU Tech Sovereignty Package: before public bodies procure proprietary software, they should be required to assess and document whether a qualified open source solution is available.
The signatories make clear that the public sector is the single largest driver of proprietary software lock-in in Europe – the accumulated result of procurement decisions made without a systematic obligation to consider the alternative. “Open Source First” would change that default: not through bans, but by ensuring the Sovereign alternative is genuinely considered and the choice made transparently.
The benefits of open source for digital sovereignty are well understood. What is missing is the market signal that makes them realisable at scale. Europe’s open source industry is ready.
Read the full open letter here: https://www.suse.com/eu-tech-sovereignty-letter/.
