The State of Open Source in Europe: From Passion, to Prioritization

When the first World of Open Source: Europe Spotlight 2022 report was published in Dublin at the time we launched Linux Foundation Europe, it painted a picture of a continent with an undeniable passion for open source — a “romantic” relationship, as our researchers called it. European contributors were motivated by learning and enjoyment more than career advancement. Policies across governments encouraged consumption of open source, and industry leaders recognized its value. However, beneath this enthusiasm, a structural imbalance was clear. Organizations were consuming more open source than they were contributing back, and many sectors, in particular the public sector, lagged in fully embracing open collaboration.

Fast forward to 2025, and the evidence reveals a significant evolution. Our latest Europe-focused report, Open Source as Europe’s Strategic Advantage launched at Open Source Summit Europe in Amsterdam in August, shows that open source has shifted from being primarily a technical enabler to a strategic lever. It’s no longer primarily about the efficiency and innovation that come with open collaboration. It’s about Europe’s ability to chart its own digital future in a changing world.

From Consumption to Increased Contribution

In 2022, 57% of organizations said they had policies encouraging open source consumption, but only a fraction had clear policies on contribution. With this imbalance, Europe risked forgoing the numerous benefits that come expressly from open source contribution. By 2025, the data show progress: 42% of organizations now actively contribute to the projects they depend on, though 30% still consume without giving back.

Leadership and Maturity

The 2022 report highlighted the important role of leadership in terms of structured approaches, such as the presence of an open source program office (OSPO) within an organization, and in terms of the presence of open source champions within and beyond organizational boundaries. While clear leadership “pays dividends” when it embeds open source into organizational culture and strategy, most mid-sized companies lack formalized open source structures.

Three years later, the maturity gap persists. Only 34% of European organizations have a formal open source strategy, and just 22% have OSPOs — both figures coming in below the global average. This is a missed opportunity. Without higher leadership indicators, Europe risks underinvesting in the very infrastructure it depends on, and continuing to rely on a bottom-up approach to open source.

The lesson for European stakeholders is simple. When institutions and their leaders set both clear policies, and encourage open source collaboration by allocating resources and empowering contributors, they can collectively realize greater value. 

Regulation and Sovereignty

In 2022, digital sovereignty was surfacing as a top concern for the region. Europe’s dependence on foreign technology providers, exacerbated by global tensions and supply chain disruptions, underscored the need for self-reliance, with open source identified as the “apolitical key” to fostering digital sovereignty. 

By 2025, Europe has anchored digital sovereignty in legislation. The EU AI Act, for example, strongly reflects European priorities regarding culture, both in its explicit goals about what constitutes risk, and in its underlying philosophy and a legal tradition that prioritizes ethical and social values. Similarly, the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) prioritizes a “secure by design” approach for products with digital elements sold within the EU.

Yet the latest data show gaps in awareness of cybersecurity legislation. Citing an earlier LF Research study, Unaware and Uncertain: The Stark Realities of Cyber Resilience Act Readiness in Open Source, this year’s Europe report reiterates the fact that 62% of global survey respondents have a low level of familiarity with the CRA. Of the respondents unfamiliar with the CRA, just under a third of this group (29%) are based in Europe.

These findings highlight the urgent need for education. Certifications like the OpenSSF’s free course, Understanding the EU Cyber Resilience Act, help to guide and prepare developers and business leaders for regulatory compliance specific to the EU market.

Encouragingly, this year’s Europe report illustrates concrete action, leadership, and prioritization in terms of funding efforts to ensure the sustainability of open source projects essential to its success. Germany’s Sovereign Tech Agency offers a noteworthy illustration of this, through government funding for the maintenance of critical open source projects, serving both national and global interests. Experts now call for a similar EU-level agency. Such initiatives turn open source into a foundation for sovereign systems while strengthening the global commons.

Open Source and AI

Finally, no conversation about the maturing state of open source in Europe would be complete without reference to AI. What’s fascinating is that neither the term “generative AI” nor the proliferation of open models featured in the 2022 study. In 2025, however, open source AI (OSAI) has emerged as a strategic opportunity. Europe is home to a vibrant AI research community and startup ecosystem that could position the region as a leader, provided that investment and ambition keep pace. Of note, 38% percent of survey respondents now prioritize investment in OSAI and machine learning. OSAI is proving to be an accelerator for innovation. Open models pave the way toward more culturally aligned systems, where local language and regulatory frameworks, along with values such as fairness, transparency, and social contracts, can be embedded into the productivity tools of tomorrow.

The evolution and maturity of open source in Europe is abundantly clear since we first began studying this dynamic in 2022, yet progress is uneven. There are still gaps to close, and while new research provides data to drive open source strategy, we hope that it will also provide the inspiration to usher in more concerted leadership. Here are a few closing thoughts and action items to fully realize the open source opportunity in Europe:

Invest in Contribution: Europe must close the gap between consumption and contribution. Funding maintainers, supporting upstream projects, and adopting corporate contribution strategies are essential.

Strengthen Leadership: More European organizations need OSPOs and visible champions. Policymakers can encourage this by tying funding and procurement rules to clear open source governance.

Align Regulation with Community: As the CRA and AI Act reshape the digital landscape, regulators and open source communities must engage directly to ensure that policies are workable and supportive of innovation.

Institutionalize Digital Sovereignty: Expanding the model of Germany’s Sovereign Tech Agency across Europe — and potentially at the EU level — would provide sustained support for critical projects and safeguard Europe’s digital autonomy.

Double Down on AI: Open source AI is Europe’s chance to lead. Investing in open models and AI-native startups, while grounding development in European values, can turn today’s opportunity into tomorrow’s competitive advantage.

For more in-depth discussions on how regulatory frameworks impact the adoption, security, and sustainability of open source technologies across Europe, join us at the Linux Foundation Europe Roadshow in Ghent, Belgium on the 29th of October, 2025.

Hilary Carter, SVP of Research, the Linux Foundation