• Events OSI Policy Team Open Source at the Heart of Europe’s (and the World’s) Digital Future Every year, FOSDEM - the Free and Open Source Developers’ European Meeting - turns Brussels into a global meeting point for the Free and Open Source software community. • In 2026, that energy extended well beyond the university halls, as policymakers, foundations, developers, and civil society gathered to confront a shared reality: Open Source is no longer operating at the margins of technology policy. • It is foundational to Europe’s digital sovereignty, security, and resilience. • From Code & Compliance and the EU Open Source Academy Awards and Policy Summit, to multiple FOSDEM devrooms, the Open Source Initiative (OSI) engaged directly with the community throughout the week, convening conversations, contributing expertise, and reinforcing the importance of open governance in an increasingly regulated digital landscape. • Turning Regulation into Practice at Code & Compliance The week began on January 29 in Brussels with theCode & Complianceconference, organized by the Eclipse Foundation. • The event brought together Open Source leaders, engineers, and policymakers to focus on the practical implications of the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), from compliance and security to automation, standards, and software supply chain trust.

Article Summaries:

  • In January 2026, Brussels hosted FOSDEM, the Free and Open Source Developers’ European Meeting, turning the city into a hub for policy, industry, and civil‑society stakeholders. The week opened with the Code & Compliance conference, where the Eclipse Foundation and OSI highlighted practical implications of the EU Cyber Resilience Act, stressing open‑data compliance tools. OSI also celebrated European Open Source Academy awardees, including Linux maintainer Greg Kroah‑Hartman and Nextcloud CEO Frank Karlitschek. The EU Open Source Policy Summit, led by OpenForum Europe, examined how open source underpins Europe’s digital sovereignty, competitiveness, and resilience, discussing regulation, investment, and open governance.

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