Open Source Procurement for Digital Sovereignty: A Guide for IT Leaders
SUSE Communities, Friday, May 15th, 2026
A guide for IT leaders and procurement professionals on implementing open source procurement to achieve digital sovereignty in Europe.
This article, part of a five-part series from SUSE's Sovereign Solutions Team, provides practical guidance for IT leaders, procurement professionals, and policymakers on translating the EU's digital sovereignty policies into actionable outcomes.
It argues that public sector IT leaders should become reference cases for open source adoption, procurement professionals should evolve from Total Cost of Ownership to Total Cost of Sovereignty models that account for exit costs and vendor lock-in, and policymakers should combine binding Open Source First procurement requirements with sustained investment in open source solutions.
The piece highlights successful European examples like Germany's OpenDesk, France's La Suite, and other sovereign digital initiatives that demonstrate how open source can provide both cost savings and genuine technological independence.