EU looks to bolster its open-source sector to counter US cloud dominance

The consultation period runs until Feb. 3, with stakeholders from the open source community, including developers, vendors, researchers, invited to provide feedback.

The EU faces a “significant problem of dependence on non-EU countries in the digital sphere,” the Commission said, a reference to the widespread use of US cloud providers in the region. Open source technologies can help “regain control and boost the resilience of our digital infrastructure,” it said.

The Commission points out that open source is already “deeply embedded” in most software systems — between 70% and 90% of all lines of code, according to one estimate — with the use of open AI models on the rise. While the EU is home to one of the largest ecosystems of open-source developer communities, it’s the tech giants outside of the EU that tend to capitalize on the value created. 

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AndyC

Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.

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