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  <title>EU: Digital sovereignty &amp; Interoperability. What about the role of Free Software?</title>
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 <h1>EU: Digital sovereignty &amp; Interoperability. What about the role of Free Software?</h1>
 <p>Speaking about Digital Public Infrastructures last week, EU 
 Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pointed out that "the trick 
 is to build public digital infrastructure that is interoperable, open 
 to all and trusted". What exactly does this mean? What is required to 
 achieve such an accessible digital infrastructure that can help foster 
 innovation and allow cooperation on a global scale? What role does Free 
 Software play in such ambition?</p> 
 <figure class="no-border">
  <img 
  src="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/original/3c/b8/cafe70a1f15a50273e5ce6e053cc.jpg" 
  alt="Map of the world interconnected" />
 </figure>
 <p>At the G20 summit 2023 in New Delhi, EU Commission President Ursula 
 von der Leyen has called the attention of the world to <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_23_4424">recognise the 
 importance of building a digital public infrastructure that is open to 
 everybody, that is interoperable and that connects us with one 
 another</a>. However, in order to understand what is behind this statement, it is 
 important to take a look at how the values of openness, digital 
 sovereignty and interoperability have guided the latest EU digital 
 policies.</p>
 <p>Over the last years, the EU has witnessed the emergence of an EU 
 discourse that highlights the need to strengthen the EU digital 
 sovereignty. Since the beginning of her candidature, EU Commission 
 President Ursula von der Leyen has pledged “technological sovereignty” 
 as one of her key priorities in the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/api/files/document/print/en/ip_19_5542/IP_19_5542_EN.pdf">ongoing 
 digital strategy of Europe(pdf)</a>. This has guided the EU in its 
 ambition <a href="https://commission.europa.eu/system/files/2020-02/communication-shaping-europes-digital-future-feb2020_en_4.pdf">to 
 reduce dependencies on technology and to assure that such technology 
 empowers people (pdf)</a>.</p> 
 <p>With a common vision of the EU in 2030 – <a href="https://eufordigital.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2030-Digital-Compass-the-European-way-for-the-Digital-Decade.pdf">the 
 2030 Digital compass</a> has started to move Europe forward towards 
 more digital sovereignty “in an interconnected world by building and 
 deploying technological capabilities in a way that empowers people and 
 businesses to seize the potential of the digital transformation, and 
 helps build a healthier and greener society".</p>
 <h3>Digital sovereignty and Free Software</h3> 
 <p>In an era of increasing digitalisation, the core values of openness, accessibility, and 
 trustworthiness must lead the way. A crucial aspect of the 
 modernisation of our digital infrastructure is to ensure digital 
 sovereignty.</p> 
 <p>As stated by the European Commission in its Communication <a 
 href="https://commission.europa.eu/system/files/2020-02/communication-shaping-europes-digital-future-feb2020_en_4.pdf">“Shaping 
 Europe Digital Future”(pdf)</a>: “European technological Sovereignty 
 starts from ensuring the integrity and resilience of our data 
 infrastructure, networks and communications. It requires creating the 
 right conditions for Europe to develop and deploy its own key 
 capacities, thereby reducing our dependency on other parts of the globe 
 for the most crucial technologies. Europe's ability to define its own 
 rules and values in the digital age will be reinforced by such 
 capacities.”</p> 
 <p>In this regard, Free Software serves as an enhancer for governments and public 
 institutions to build and maintain their digital systems without vendor 
 lock-in, ensuring long-term control, cost-efficiency, and digital 
 sovereignty. Moreover, it fosters innovation by allowing collaborative 
 contributions resulting in robust and secure software that can be 
 customized to meet specific public needs. By embracing Free Software, 
 potential vulnerabilities in such digital public infrastructure can be 
 easier identified and fixed while it promotes equitable access to 
 technology, and reinforces the fundamental democratic principles of 
 accountability and citizen engagement.</p>
 <p>This promotes a self-reliant approach to technology, empowering the EU to shape its digital future 
 in alignment with its values, regulations, and strategic interests, 
 while fostering a more competitive and technologically independent 
 European digital landscape.</p> 
 <p>As EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn has clearly stated “digitalisation cannot be seen in isolation” and “the 
 force of good” - Free Software - has also the potential to ensure the 
 proper use of public money, promote freedom of choice while guiding the 
 EU and the world in the efforts of <a href="https://youtu.be/h3SK96jLTSU?feature=shared">achieving a sovereign digital 
 infrastructure</a>.</p>
 <h3>Interoperability and Free Software</h3> 
 <p>Interoperability has 
 also played an important role in the digital efforts of an EU more 
 interconnected, open and sovereign. In order to be able to have 
 information systems and devices that work seamlessly together, a 
 critical infrastructure is needed, and Free Software together with Open 
 Standards play a fundamental role in these efforts.</p>
 <p>With projects such as <a href="https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/departments-and-executive-agencies/informatics/eu-fossa-2-free-and-open-source-software-auditing_en">“FOSSA” and “FOSSA2”</a> 
 with the goal to increase the security and integrity of the Free 
 Software used by European Institutions, <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/isa2/awards_en">“ISA”and “ISA2”</a>
 aiming to strengthening 
 interoperability across borders and sectors, as well as <a href="/news/2020/news-20201023-01.html">the latest EU 
 Open Source Strategy</a> and the further <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/documents-register/detail?ref=C(2021)8759">“Commission decision on the Open Source licensing and reuse of 
 Commission software”</a>, Europe has slowly and ambitiously laying the foundation for a digitalisation that realises the role of Free Software. However, ahead, 
 there is still <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB9Wga-AaHk">a long way to effectively bring such efforts into 
 practice</a>, so that this can be translated into solutions to real-life problems.</p>
 <p>As EU Commission President von der Leyen has highlighted during her 
 statement at the G20 summit, the success of the <a href="https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/coronavirus-response/safe-covid-19-vaccines-europeans/eu-digital-covid-certificate_en">COVID19 digital 
 certificate in the EU</a> is a clear and practical example of what it is needed to tackle a 
 global crisis in the most efficient way: Free Software. Free Software 
 allowed a secure and transparent solution and also laid the groundwork 
 for the interoperability that was needed in such global crisis by 
 showing how collaboration can thrive a global solution.</p>
 <h3>EU about to take a landmark decision</h3> 
 <p>With the current 
 Interoperable Europe Act, the EU has already noted upon the need to 
 create a dedicated legal framework that can pave the way of an 
 interoperable digital landscape and is about <a href="/news/2023/news-20230323-02.html">to take a step ahead 
 towards a more sovereign and interoperable Europe</a>. Once finalised, the 
 proper implementation of this Act within member states is of paramount 
 importance to attain its full potential in fostering a unified and 
 harmonised digital environment across the European Union as well as to 
 amend the shortcomings that the final text might have when it comes to 
 realising the potential that Free Software has to offer for a more 
 interoperable Europe.</p> 
 <p>Ahead, there is the opportunity to assure a proper implementation of 
 this and other digital policies which will help to more clearly define 
 what Europe means with digital sovereignty and interoperability. It is 
 time to underlying the fundamental role that Free Software and its 
 community can play in the digitalisation of Europe.</p> 
 <h3>Summary </h3>
 <p>The EU has started to recognise the important role that Free 
 Software can play in the ambitious efforts of a more sovereign and 
 interoperable digital infrastructure in Europe. It has started to come 
 clear that Free Software can be a cornerstone of the EU's digital 
 policies aimed at enhancing digital sovereignty and interoperability.  
 By embracing Free Software, the EU can assert greater control over its 
 digital infrastructure, promote interoperability, spend taxpayers money 
 efficiently, improve security and privacy, foster innovation, and 
 collaborate with partners globally, ultimately leading to a more 
 self-reliant and digitally resilient European Union.</p>
 <p>Yet a decisive period ahead is the implementation in Member States of the some of 
 these digital policies that have come as a result of the ongoing 
 digital agenda and which will be decisive to ensure that Europe 
 achieves a sovereign and interoperable digital landscape.</p>
 </body>
 <tags>
  <tag key="front-page" />
  <tag key="european-union">European Union</tag>
  <tag key="policy">European Public Policy</tag>
  <tag key="IEA">Interoperable Europe Act</tag>
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 <discussion href="https://community.fsfe.org/t/1074"/>  
 <image url="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/medium/3c/b8/cafe70a1f15a50273e5ce6e053cc.jpg" 
  alt="Map of the world interconnected" /> 
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