European Commission launches Digital Commons European Digital Infrastructure Consortium
The initiative aims at fostering Europe's digital sovereignty by enabling cross-border collaboration to build open-source European tech alternatives
Today, the European Commission announced the creation of the Digital Commons European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (DC-EDIC). The aim of this organisation, integrated by France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, is to enable EU member states to build open-source alternatives to much of the proprietary - mostly US - software used by companies and governments across the EU.
The Commission seems aware of the vulnerability the EU faces due to its digital dependence on foreign actors, who can leverage that dependence against Europe's interests. In fact, the article released by the Commission states that:
Europe’s reliance on imported digital infrastructures and technologies creates vulnerabilities for its economy and democracy. Therefore a strategic priority for Europe is to strengthen open, interoperable and sovereign alternatives.
No wonder, then, that the emphasis is put on sectors such as AI, cybersecurity, and, as Euractiv notes, social networks.
The DC-EDIC will be officially launched later this December, 2025. The Digital Commons constitutes just one of the several European Digital Infrastructure Consortiums (EDICs), which are aimed at fostering cross-border collaboration among member states, mainly by providing a legal framework for it.
Further reading:
- Release by the European Commission
- Digital Commons as Providers of Public Digital Infrastructure. Krewer, J. & Warso, Z. Open Future
