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What We Do

Research, policy expertise, and advocacy
to strengthen Open Technologies
and the Open Movement in Europe

OpenForum Europe champions open technologies as the foundation for a competitive, innovative, and sovereign digital Europe that fully leverages the advantages of open technologies and supports the open movement. Our work addresses the strategic challenges facing Europe’s digital ecosystem – from interoperability and vendor lock-in to digital sovereignty and fair competition in technology markets.

We advance this mission through evidence-based policy advocacy, thought leadership, and engagement with EU institutions, acting as a trusted platform for convening diverse stakeholders across industry, civil society, and the public sector, both in Europe and beyond and in reflection of the global nature of open source collaboration and the open movement. Building on our deep expertise in open source, open standards, and open data, we ensure these principles are embedded in Europe’s digital policy framework.

The key pillars of our work focus on interoperability, open source adoption in the public sector, and competitive digital markets. Our advocacy is underpinned by commitments to digital sovereignty, technological choice, and ensuring that openness serves as a catalyst for innovation and economic growth. Currently, this translates into policy interventions in the following areas:

As a not-for-profit, independent think tank, OpenForum Europe seeks to act as a trusted connector of the people and communities behind the open movement. While we publish our own ideas and research, our philosophy is that much of the best work is already being done, which we just need to nurture it and bring it to the forefront.
This section serves as the primary hub for showcasing the output and activities of the organisation, organized into four key areas: News, Research, Events, and Projects and Initiatives.

Research

OpenForum Europe (OFE) aims to be a trusted destination for research on the social, economic, and political impact
of Open Technology – including (but not limited to) Open Source Software, Open Source Hardware, and Open Standards – in relation to EU policy impact. As regulatory changes, geopolitical instability, and misconceptions about open source’s relevance grow, there is an urgent need for rigorous research to inform policy and decision-making, as well as demonstrate open source’s critical role across all sectors. We call this Open Technology Impact Research.

Publications

Publication

Conference Highlights: UN Open Source Week 2025 – An Open Community for the Global Digital Compact 

This report provides a reflection on the key highlights and outcomes of UN Open Source Week 2025. UN Open Source Week 2025 facilitated global dialogue and collaboration on open source, digital public infrastructure (DPI), and the development of innovative solutions to global challenges. Since its inception in 2023,…

Publication

OSOR Handbook: Open Source Software in Public Administration

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Publication

Progress and trends in the national open source policies and legal frameworks

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Publication

Open Source Software Adoption and Reuse in European Local Governments

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Projects and Initiatives

OFE works across Europe and globally to advance openness in digital policy. Explore the projects and initiatives we are involved in.

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