Open Source Summit Europe 2024

The importance of digital sovereignty in the public sector has been amplified in the European Union (EU) due to recent geopolitical changes and the risk of relying on foreign digital technology and services such as cloud and artificial intelligence (AI). This issue has gained significant attention, prompting calls for collective action to manage these risks. Therefore, it's crucial to explore potential strategies that the public sector can adopt to reduce these risks. The role of Open Source Software (OSS) in enhancing the digital sovereignty of the public sector is a significant point of discussion. We aim to showcase some of the actions currently being undertaken by the public sector in Europe and Germany to achieve digital sovereignty, highlighting the crucial role of OSS in these strategies. Additionally, we will share real-world examples to demonstrate the ongoing efforts, potential opportunities, and challenges that need to be tackled.