IFTAS welcomes this initiative and strongly supports the Commission’s recognition of open-source software as a strategic component of digital sovereignty, security, and innovation.

The EU open-source sector benefits from a rich and diverse developer community, with strong alignment to European values – particularly data protection, human rights, and participatory governance. Decentralised European platforms such as Mastodon, PeerTube, and Mobilizon exemplify how open infrastructure can foster safer, rights-respecting online spaces.

However, the ecosystem faces significant structural disadvantages. Community-run infrastructures and volunteer moderation teams often lack sustainable support, leaving them vulnerable to burnout, instability, or acquisition by external actors. EU institutions and Member States continue to rely heavily on proprietary platforms, excluding smaller, rights-based open-source projects from public procurement and local markets. Decentralised platforms also lack access to scalable moderation and governance infrastructure, limiting their ability to address online harms or comply with emerging legal obligations.

Open-source platforms offer transparency, adaptability, and local control – critical foundations for democratic accountability and public trust. For example, communities using federated social platforms can implement content standards responsive to local needs, cultural contexts, and lived experience – something unattainable in centralised proprietary systems. Further, open-source alternatives reduce reliance on extractive or opaque platforms, mitigating risks such as algorithmic amplification of harmful content, surveillance tech, and political manipulation through non-transparent recommendation systems.

To ensure open-source technologies fully contribute to EU technological sovereignty, the following measures are essential:

1. Targeted funding for social infrastructure, including community governance, trust and safety tooling, content moderation support, and ethical AI integration.
2. Dedicated support for federated ecosystems – which enable pluralism, local governance, and interoperability – through regulatory and infrastructural approaches distinct from those designed for centralised platforms.
3. Procurement reform to ensure public institutions are incentivised (or mandated) to adopt open-source alternatives wherever feasible, including those operated by small or non-profit entities.
4. Investment in the digital commons, recognising EU-hosted infrastructure for software repositories, interoperability tools, and moderation services as essential public goods.

Increased support for federated platforms will decentralise control over public discourse and reduce dependence on non-EU technology monopolies. Open-source adoption within local government systems enhances transparency, auditability, and civic trust. In education, research, and innovation, open platforms reduce vendor lock-in and promote collaboration. Community-audited open tools enable faster vulnerability detection and remediation, contributing to greater cyber resilience.

IFTAS urges the European Commission to view open digital ecosystems not merely as technical infrastructure but as a cornerstone of democratic resilience. The long-term health of this ecosystem depends on inclusive policies, sustainable investment, and deliberate support for decentralised infrastructure that prioritises the public interest, civil rights, and the needs of marginalised communities.

We stand ready to contribute further to the Commission’s strategy and support the development of a vibrant open-source future for Europe.