Comparative Approach to Big Tech Regulation (Spring 2023) – Science Po Paris
This policy brief examines the role of open-source software (‘OSS’) in the European
Union (‘EU’) and its potential to enhance digital sovereignty, innovation and
efficiency.
OSS offers several advantages over proprietary software, such as:
- Lower costs and higher efficiency;
- Greater transparency and security;
- More alignment with European values and principles.
However, the paper identifies several challenges that OSS faces, such as:
- Lack of awareness and visibility about the current and potential roles of open source;
- Lack of funding and incentives to contribute;
- Governance problems in open source project communities.
The paper reviews existing legal frameworks and policy initiatives at the EU and
national levels that support OSS development and adoption. It highlights:
- The licence system that facilitates the sharing and reuse of OSS across public
administrations; - The Open Source Software Strategy 2020-2023 that outlines the EU’s vision and
actions for OSS; - The German Sovereign Tech Fund that provides financial and technical support
for OSS projects.
The brief concludes with some policy recommendations to improve the current
strategy and foster a more robust and diverse OSS ecosystem in Europe to fully
harness the benefits of open source software.
The recommendations include:
- Inverting the standards for public procurement of proprietary software and
prioritising OSS solutions; - Improving software catalogues for trusted OSS and increasing their usability;
- Integrating OSS into EU strategic goals and programmes, such as open
science, Horizon Europe, Next Generation Internet, and Interoperable Europe
Act; - Scaling up the Sovereign Tech Fund model at transnational, national and
regional levels to address specific needs and opportunities.
