Workshop

What does 'privilege open source' mean for you?

Tuesday, 19 May 2026 @ 14:25 - 15:25

Taken at face value, the calls to European institutions to “privilege open source” mean prioritizing software that guarantees users the essential freedoms of open source: access to source code, the right to modify it, and the ability to deploy and maintain it independently of a single vendor. In the context of European sovereignty, that principle matters because public institutions need transparency, interoperability, and long-term control over critical digital infrastructure.

The tension arises when companies advocating for “open source first” primarily distribute open-core products, where the most valuable features remain proprietary.

This workshop will work through two angles:

• How open source companies can benefit from calls to privilege open source, including how to position their solution as the more “free” option even when there is an open core component.
• How to manage the conflict that comes with open core distribution, the tension often raised by companies like Element.

How are you handling the conflict in those statements? What should we change in our advocacy with the European entities?