Hundreds Answer Europe's 'Public Call for Evidence' on an Open Digital Ecosystem Strategy (helpnetsecurity.com)
- Reference: 0180611568
- News link: https://news.slashdot.org/story/26/01/18/2054259/hundreds-answer-europes-public-call-for-evidence-on-an-open-digital-ecosystem-strategy
- Source link: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/01/09/eu-call-for-evidence-open-source/
> The consultation runs from January 6 to February 3, 2026. Submissions will be used to shape a Commission Communication addressed to the European Parliament, the Council, and other EU bodies, which is scheduled for publication in the first quarter of 2026... The call for evidence links Europe's reliance on digital technologies developed outside the EU to concerns over long term control of infrastructure and software supply chains... Open digital ecosystems are discussed in the context of technological sovereignty and the use of technologies that can be inspected, adapted, and shared.
Long-time Slashdot reader [2]Elektroschock describes it as the European Commission "stepping up its efforts behind open-source software"
> Building on President von der Leyen's political guidelines, the initiative will review the Commission's 2020-2023 open-source approach and set out concrete actions to strengthen Europe's open-source ecosystem across key areas such as cloud, AI, cybersecurity and industrial technologies. The strategy will be presented alongside the upcoming Cloud and AI Development Act, forming a broader policy package aimed at reducing strategic dependencies and boosting Europe's digital resilience.
And "In just a few days, over 370 submissions have already been filed, indicating that the issue is touching a nerve across the EU," [3]writes CyberNews.com :
> "Europe must regain control over its software supply chain to safeguard freedom, security, and innovation," suggests an individual from Slovakia. Similar perspectives appear to be [4]widely shared among respondents ...
>
> The document doesn't mention US tech giants specifically, but rather aims to support tech sovereignty and seek "digital solutions that are valid alternatives to proprietary ones...."
>
> "This is not a legislative initiative. The strategy will take the form of a Commission communication. The initiative will set out a general approach and will propose: actions relying on further commitments and an implementation process," the EC explains. Policymakers expect the strategy to help EU member states identify the necessary steps to support national open-source companies and communities.
[1] https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/01/09/eu-call-for-evidence-open-source/
[2] https://www.slashdot.org/~Elektroschock
[3] https://cybernews.com/tech/europe-looks-for-ways-to-cut-cord-from-big-tech/
[4] https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/16213-European-Open-Digital-Ecosystems_en
Usenet (Score:2)
Why not just resurrect Usenet, and have individual newsgroups for every country, as well as the EU as a whole, on all subjects? Some may be free, some moderated. That way, they can draw away people from the Facebooks and Xwitters, and under GDRP rules, keep US or other non-European entities from accessing any data
Re: (Score:2)
Because that doesn't work with the plan to censor any and all wrong-think. It is a lot harder to censor the wrong-think with an open system like that. It's also more difficult to restrict access based on biometrics, government identification, etc., and keep track of everybody's access with a system like that. The United Kingdom, Australia, and half the United States seem hell-bent on it. And if a few polished turds (of both parties) get their way in the United States, it will involve the entire US soon enou
Re: (Score:1)
> Why not just resurrect Usenet, and have individual newsgroup
It would need to have 2025-level secutity to prevent abuse. It is sppace-inefficient. There are probably other reasons "why not."
Everyone loves open source but ... (Score:4, Interesting)
The real reason the EU is embracing open source is because it doesn't want to be dependent on U.S. tech firms (understandable). But the real reason that they are dependent is b/c they don't have a strong domestic tech industry themselves. Shifting to open source will not solve the underlying issue.
Re: (Score:3)
Governments in Europe are looking for alternatives for the same reason consumers are: Active hostility from Microsoft et al.
I imagine they're better prepared to migrate or even create new alternatives than the unorganized consumers are.
I'm halfway expecting the tech bros to manipulate Dear Leader into banning OSS. We joked and parodied here 20 years ago about the government decrying Communist open-sores, but it may not be a joke anymore.
Re: (Score:2)
The underlying issues to a lot of these things is just funding though, that's doing rather than saying. You want to write new software and transition systems you need developers and IT infrastructure people and they need to get paid.
Europe has all the prerequisites, modern economies with well educated populace, definite the work and create opportunities for people to take up the task and do it.