Open, Resilient, European: The EDIC Digital Commons
By Powen Shiah
In News
The European Commission has announced the creation of the EDIC Digital Commons — a major milestone in a multi-year European effort that the Sovereign Tech Agency helped shape from the start, advancing open, interoperable, and sustainable digital infrastructure across Europe.
Launched by France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy, the Digital Commons European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC) addresses a strategic need: Europe requires digital foundations and infrastructure that are open, resilient, and rooted in collaboration.
By pooling resources and expertise, the consortium will develop, maintain, and scale strategic digital commons — the shared digital resources that underpin Europe’s digital autonomy. These include open source software, open standards, internet protocols, and data infrastructure that serve as essential building blocks for innovation, security, and democratic participation.
“The confirmation of the Digital Commons EDIC marks a new chapter in Europe’s digital journey — one built on collaboration, transparency, and shared responsibility. Together, we’re working to ensure that Europe’s digital foundations remain open, resilient, and sovereign.”
— Adriana Groh, Managing Director, Sovereign Tech Agency
The Sovereign Tech Agency’s early and ongoing involvement underscores Germany’s and Europe’s commitment to an open, secure, and democratic digital infrastructure, providing the foundation for long-term digital sovereignty.
What are the Digital Commons? What is an EDIC?
Digital commons are digital resources —such as open source software, open standards, internet protocols, and open data— produced, owned, and governed in a distributed and communal manner. Their governance ensures access and sharing so that these common resources and their communities are sustainable and can continue to be developed. Digital commons contribute to the realization of the digital rights laid down in the European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade, as well as to the self-determined use of digital technologies and systems by individuals, industry, organizations, and governments.
An European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC) is a European Union legal framework that enables member states to collaborate on large-scale digital infrastructure projects, pooling resources, coordinating governance, and ensuring sustainable operations.
An Open and Collaborative Approach
The EDIC Digital Commons was launched by four founding states - France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands - but remains open to additional members. Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Poland are participating as observers, while other EU member states are in the process of becoming involved.
“The EDIC Digital Commons reflects a shared ambition: to build together the foundations of a strong, open and sustainable European digital landscape. It embodies a collective momentum that will give Europe the ability to act and innovate on its own. France is enthusiastically and determinedly engaged in this new cooperation, which will foster the emergence of our European champions.”
— Stéphanie Schaer, Interministerial Director for Digital Affairs (DINUM)
“With the Digital Commons EDIC, Germany is becoming part of a European Digital Infrastructure Consortium for the first time. This sends a strong signal for Europe's digital future. Together, we are strengthening Europe's digital sovereignty, promoting open technologies, and building a common digital infrastructure based on European values, so that Europe can shape its digital future in a self-determined manner. The Sovereign Tech Agency and the Center for Digital Sovereignty in Public Administration (ZenDiS) will support us with their expertise.”
— Thomas Jarzombek, Parliamentary State Secretary, German Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation
“The Digital Commons EDIC is Europe’s bridge from pilots to platforms. We will co-invest in shared, open solutions—AI, cloud, cybersecurity, geomatics—that drive interoperability, lower costs for administrations, and create market opportunities for European SMEs. It’s a clear message: Europe can build, maintain and govern critical digital infrastructure on its own terms, for the public interest. We are very proud that Italy has been a driving force behind this solution.”
— Serafino Sorrenti, Head of Technical Secretariat to Undersecretary for Innovation of Italy Alessio Butti
“Through the Digital Commons EDIC, we can combine our strengths, scale up open source alternatives, and ensure that governments across Europe have the tools they need to act with true autonomy”
— Art de Blaauw, Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Central Public Administration of The Netherlands
Looking Ahead
The official launch of the EDIC Digital Commons is scheduled for 11 December 2025 in The Hague.
The EDIC Digital Commons represents a collaborative approach to building resilient digital infrastructure. With the Sovereign Tech Agency championing European collaboration and securing foundational digital components, the initiative strengthens Europe’s capacity to develop, maintain, and scale strategic digital commons, fostering an inclusive, open, and human-centered digital ecosystem.
For additional information, visit our press release on the creation of the Digital Commons EDIC on 29 Oct 2025.
