New research from the Linux Foundation has identified gaps in leadership, investment and policy engagement that are holding back Europe’s open source potential, despite the widespread belief that open source could lead to better quality tech.

Based on insights from more than 300 European IT leaders, the Foundation’s 2025 World of Open Source Europe Report found a lack of strategy within the C-suite, with fewer executives (62%) recognising the value of open source software (OSS), compared to other employees (86%).

Just a third (34%) of organisations said that they maintain formal OSS strategies, with just 22% of European firms having an Open Source Program Office for managing open source projects and engagement.

While the data shows that although the majority of businesses (81%) see high value in open source investments, they are not prepared to contribute to these, with just 28% of organisations employing full-time OSS contributors to the projects they say they depend on.    

Only 42% of organisations said that they actively contribute to the OSS projects they use, while almost a third (30%) admit they use OSS but do not contribute back, even as 75% of respondents believe that OSS development leads to higher quality software.

However, despite this hesitancy, open source adoption is widespread across Europe. The report found the highest adoption of OSS in operating systems (64%), cloud and container technologies (55%), web and application development (54%), and AI and machine learning (41%). 

More than half (56%) agreed that the benefits of OSS exceed the costs, and looking to the future, 58% say that innovation will benefit most from OSS investment, particularly in AI, where 38% are prioritising their open source spending.

These benefits include higher productivity (63%), reduced vendor lock-in (62%), and lower costs of software ownership (58%), though 69% also report that engagement with OSS had made their organisation more competitive.

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With open source showing such promise, IT leaders are eager for their governments to do more to prop up OSS development. Around half (52%) said that OSS adoption should be a top priority for national investment, agreeing that OSS innovation defies boundaries and could strengthen industry standards and interoperability across regions.  

“With evolving European policies and regulations, open source communities and ecosystems face a critical moment of transformation,” said Gabriele Columbro, general manager of Linux Foundation Europe.

“However, without matching strategic investment, C-level commitment and an entrepreneurial-friendly climate, Europe risks missing the opportunity to leverage the global digital commons as the most powerful tool to achieve digital autonomy and compete in the global technology landscape.”