How Europe’s Open-Source Failure Led to U.S. Dependency

Most desktops today run on Windows or macOS, smartphones on iOS or Android, and company servers are hosted by Amazon, Microsoft, or Google. Communication and productivity tools also come from these same few U.S. providers. This near-total reliance on American tech applies widely across Europe.

For a long time, few saw an issue — America was a friend, after all. But under administrations like Trump’s, even U.S.-friendly Europeans began questioning whether it was wise to hand over control of digital infrastructure to companies subject to foreign governments. These firms, simply by being U.S.-based, are legally obligated to comply with American policies, even at the expense of European data privacy.

Still, the uncomfortable truth is: Europe created this situation. It’s the result of decades of political inaction and poor strategic decisions.

A Missed Opportunity

Let's go back to the early 2000s. Microsoft’s monopoly was already raising concerns, while the open-source movement — centered around Linux — offered an emerging alternative. Though not polished, Linux showed promise as a free, modifiable, and independent platform.

In Munich, Germany, the city launched the “LiMux” project to replace Microsoft products with Linux and OpenOffice.org across government computers. Thousands of desktops were migrated, and Linux was already common on servers.

This project happened because the city’s leadership stood firm against Microsoft’s intense lobbying — then-CEO Steve Ballmer personally flew to Munich to offer huge discounts to keep Microsoft in place. But elsewhere, that resolve was missing. Governments folded quickly under pressure, and Linux migrations were often used merely to negotiate better deals with Microsoft.

One example: Vienna’s attempt to follow Munich’s lead began in 2005 but ended in 2009, undermined by weak commitment. At one point, they even commissioned a kindergarten learning app that only worked with M$ Internet Explorer — a browser unavailable on Linux.

In Munich, Microsoft later moved its German headquarters to the city. Soon after, political leadership changed and criticism of LiMux increased. Officially, there was no connection — but the timing raised eyebrows. The project was quietly dismantled.

Where Linux Succeeded

Interestingly, open-source thrived where there was little profit for Microsoft. Spain’s Extremadura region, one of Europe’s poorest, implemented Linux across public institutions, including schools. Similar efforts took place in Andalusia and even in France’s national police — driven more by a desire for independence than by cost savings.

Today, few of those efforts remain. While projects like Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein migration are in motion, their success remains to be seen.

Lobbying and Political Apathy

Let’s be clear: tech lobbying was effective — but only because governments didn’t push back. The desire for digital sovereignty was weak. Claiming there was “no alternative” to Microsoft or Google isn’t honest. These companies were simply better at promoting their interests. That’s capitalism. But European policymakers failed to counter it with strategic planning.

The result?  Europe is deeply dependent on foreign tech — by its own doing.

The Path Forward

Even where open-source projects existed, they were often isolated efforts. Work was duplicated, standards fragmented, and maintenance costs ballooned. What’s needed now are coordinated, EU-wide initiatives that support open-source software for public-sector needs — collaborative, modular systems that municipalities can adopt as needed.

The EU, with its decentralized structure, is a natural fit for open-source development. Collaboration, diversity, and shared goals are core values of both. Plus, publicly funded software should, in principle, be public code.

There are promising signs. Since 2022, Germany’s Sovereign Tech Fund has supported improvements to key open-source projects like GNOME, OpenStreetMap, and Python — working directly with project teams to ensure real impact.

And crucially, open source doesn’t mean isolation. It enables global collaboration without dependency. Europe can use code from anywhere — U.S., China, or beyond — without surrendering control.

But today, Europe finds itself trapped in strategic dependency. That might have felt safe in calmer times. Now, it’s increasingly naïve to assume it won’t be exploited.

Time to act — now.