BRUSSELS, 5 November 2025 - The NGI Commons consortium, in close collaboration with the European Commission, is pleased to announce the Digital Commons Policy Summit 2025: Digital Commons and the Open Internet Stack for a Competitive Europe. This two-day event will take place on 20-21 November 2025, at the European Commission DG CNECT headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
A Defining Moment for European Digital Sovereignty
Digital Commons are essential for Europe’s digital future because they embody the principles of openness, collaboration, and shared value creation that underpin a sovereign and competitive digital economy. By promoting open standards, open-source software, and shared data infrastructures, Digital Commons reduce dependency on proprietary systems and foster technological autonomy (for example: Mastodon, Matrix.org, Blender, Open Food Facts). They enable innovation ecosystems where public and private actors can co-create solutions that are transparent, secure, and aligned with European values of trust, inclusiveness, and sustainability. As Europe moves toward its next phase of digital transformation, strengthening and coordinating these commons ensures that innovation remains human-centric and that digital progress serves the collective good rather than isolated interests.
A milestone for European digital sovereignty, the Digital Commons Policy Summit marks a decade of progress under the Next Generation Internet (NGI) initiative, which has nurtured, mapped, and supported Digital Commons across Europe. The event aims to unite policymakers, practitioners, funders, and innovators to define a shared roadmap for scaling Digital Commons as fundamental infrastructure for Europe's digital autonomy.
The question is no longer whether Digital Commons are valuable, but how we scale them effectively(...) This summit convenes the people capable of driving systemic change-from regulators and public institutions to open source and digital commons practitioners.
Dr. Monique Calisti, Coordinator of NGI Commons. CEO at Martel Innovate
Why This Summit Matters
The Digital Commons Policy Summit 2025 responds to the pressing call for greater coherence and collaboration in the European digital ecosystem. Over two days, participants will:
- Explore the NGI Commons roadmap for scaling Digital Commons across EU Member States
- Discuss sustainable funding models within the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)
- Build the case for public procurement as a catalyst for Digital Commons adoption
- Examine the Open Internet Stack as a foundation for strengthening Europe's digital landscape
- Elevate practitioner perspectives through in-depth dialogue and case studies
Programme Highlights
Day 1: 20th November opens with a high-level policy session featuring Members of the European Parliament on "Digital Sovereignty: The Role of the EU Budget and Public Investment in Shaping the Internet." Afternoon sessions include discussions on scaling Digital Commons across Member States and a roundtable on the Open Internet Stack's role in long-term sustainability.
Day 2: 21st November turns to implementation, addressing public sector needs, regulatory frameworks, digital identity and wallets, and the crucial input of open source experts and Digital Commons advocates.
Who Should Attend
The Summit is geared toward stakeholders driving digital transformation and policy innovation, including:
- Policymakers from regional, national, and EU institutions
- Regulators, legislators, and standardisation bodies
- Funders, foundations, and public authorities
- Corporate innovation and technology leaders
- Academics and researchers working on Digital Commons and open internet ecosystems
- Open source and digital infrastructure practitioners
Registration
Participation is free but requires registration. Seats for in-person attendance are limited; however, all sessions will be streamed online to ensure broad access across Europe. For more details and updates, visit the NGI Commons website.
