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Open Future has signed a public letter with OpenForum Europe and dozens of industry leaders, open source companies, and civil society organizations calling for the creation of an EU Sovereign Tech Fund (EU-STF) to address chronic under-investment in open source software maintenance.
The letter urges the EU to invest at least €350 million over seven years to maintain the critical open source software that underpins Europe’s digital infrastructure. Without this investment, Europe risks exposing governments, businesses, and citizens to security threats, supply chain vulnerabilities, and vendor lock-in.
Open source software forms the backbone of Europe’s digital economy and public institutions. It powers everything from digital identity systems to energy grids, healthcare platforms, financial services, and mobility networks. Yet these foundational technologies remain chronically underfunded, creating systemic risks.
The proposed EU-STF would build on the proven success of Germany’s Sovereign Tech Agency, providing pan-European, mission-driven investment to secure, maintain, and strengthen open digital infrastructure. As signatories, we call on EU Co-Legislators to make the EU-STF a priority in the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and on Member States to commit to pooled financing to scale investment in open source maintenance beyond fragmented national efforts.
This initiative aligns closely with Open Future’s work on advancing Europe’s digital sovereignty through investment in public digital infrastructure. In our recent policy brief, we recommend bridging the gap between research, innovation, deployment, and maintenance so that technologies that serve public interest can scale instead of withering or being forced into extractive models.
By supporting commons-based resources, including open source software, the EU can reduce strategic dependencies and ensure its digital transformation reflects the values of openness and collaboration.
