Achieving Digital Sovereignty in Europe Through Open Source (froscon2025)

As Europe strives for greater digital independence, open source is emerging as a key enabler of digital sovereignty. Reliance on proprietary software and foreign tech giants poses significant risks to security, privacy, and economic resilience. As Europe strives for greater digital independence, open source is emerging as a key enabler of digital sovereignty. Reliance on proprietary software and foreign tech giants poses significant risks to security, privacy, and economic resilience. This presentation will explore how open-source technologies empower governments, businesses, and institutions to regain control over their digital infrastructure. By leveraging open standards, community-driven development, and transparent governance, Europe can build a more secure, innovative, and self-sufficient digital ecosystem. Nextcloud serves as a prime example of how a European open-source company can successfully provide a viable alternative to big tech, proving that digital sovereignty is not just an ideal but a reality. However, despite the availability of open-source solutions, the political will to implement them at scale is often lacking, hindering true digital independence. Licensed to the public under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 about this event: https://programm.froscon.org/2025/events/3260.html