Open source programme offices (OSPOs) in public services from across the European Union are meeting regularly, aiming to align their approach on open source best practices. The exchange helps to build practical programs on free and open source in public services.

Bringing together some 13 organisations from across 8 member states, the EU OSPO network is about sharing experiences and learning from one another. The meetings, facilitated by the OSPO at the European Commission, welcome representatives of any EU public service organisation willing to collaborate on free and open source strategies and practices. It currently includes civil servants working for city administrations, ministries, Member States’ government departments, and research organisations.

The EU OSPO network began in May 2022, following up on discussions on open source governance between the CIO of the City of Paris (France) and the European Commission’s then Directorate-General for Informatics (now Directorate-General for Digital Services). The two public services contacted and were contacted by peers, keen to exchange views on how to encourage their organisation’s use of open source.