SFC Responds to the European Commission’s Request for Feedback on European Digital Ecosystems
February 4, 2026
After a very successful FOSDEM, our team is already back at work! The European Commission published a Call for Evidence, asking for comments on how to help better their understanding to grow and further develop the European Union’s Free and Open Source Software sector. Software Freedom Conservancy filed comments adding our unique perspective on digital sovereignty and ethical technology, focusing on our expertise on copyleft and our insight into US-based FOSS contribution. So that we were not reiterating points that were well made by many filers already, we also referred the Commission to the comments submitted by the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE).
We shared our strong stance on the importance of copyleft as a mechanism both of liberating users and of the demonstrably critical role it has played in the spread of Linux and Android on devices all over the world. Copyleft licensing allows users to repair the software on their devices, allowing material difference in how long devices can stay operable. The licensing benefits are also clear; copyleft means that software built from the labor of volunteers and skilled practitioners is shared by all who come after. Enshrining the need for such humane licensing is vitally important to make sure technological sovereignty can be guaranteed for all. SFC asked the Commission to consider prioritizing copyleft licensing in their policy-making.
We also asked the Commission to consider the unique role that US based charitable organizations have filled in the establishment of FOSS. These organizations have worked explicitly in opposition to US Big Tech proprietary software companies, creating the stable global infrastructure that forms the basis of digital sovereignty today. SFC encouraged the Commission to adopt policies that enhance global cooperation and partnerships with FOSS organizations and contributors that in the US and around the world.
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