Europe makes extensive use of open source, but too often only as a consumer
Although this model is widely used and recognized as an important lever for digital sovereignty, it still suffers from a lack of coherent vision, strong executive commitment, and targeted investment in European organizations.
Only 34% of organizations have an official strategy for free software. That is one in three. That is not much. In the current geopolitical context, this order of magnitude is surprising, according to the initial conclusion of the Linux Foundation’s report “World of Open Source Europe 2025.”
Is open source the gateway to digital sovereignty? 56% of respondents believe that its benefits far outweigh the costs. In addition to profitability, respondents believe that free software improves their competitiveness: 75% believe that the development of free software leads to better quality software, and 58% believe that investing in free software would stimulate innovation in their sector.
64% of respondents use free software for their operating systems, 55% for cloud and container technologies, and 54% for web and application development, indicating that the use of free software is well established across all technical stacks.
Only 42% contribute to OSS projects: the maturity gap
Despite growing awareness of the benefits and increasing acceptance of open source software, more than 50% of organizations have contributed to OSS projects to a limited extent (20%), have not contributed (23%), or were unsure whether they would contribute (8%). Of the organizations that have made a strong commitment to OSS projects by hiring full-time contributors or maintainers, 81% felt that their investment was of high or even very high value. So why are contributions so limited?
The report outlines some answers and suggests that the barriers to contributing to OSS projects include legal and licensing issues (31%) and fears of intellectual property leakage (24%). These issues are linked to a general lack of maturity in OSS strategy: 66% of organizations do not have a formal open source strategy.
First, change our perception
Ultimately, the report calls on companies to view open source as a business asset rather than a ‘free’ tactic. This starts with a formalized strategy, supported by objectives and indicators, which sets out the rules for use and contributions, the acceptable level of risk, and responsibilities.
“Open source is at a turning point in Europe,” concludes Gabriele Columbro, General Manager of Linux Foundation Europe. “Without strategic investment, without sponsorship from management, and without a business-friendly climate, Europe risks missing the opportunity to leverage global digital heritage as the most powerful tool for achieving digital autonomy and competitiveness in the global technology landscape. It is up to us to make this a priority!”
