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Year in Review

20 December 2022

Author: Paula Grzegorzewska

From Astor Nummelin Carlberg, OFE’s Executive Director
This has been a big year for open technologies in Europe. We have been impressed by the actions taken by governments across the continent when it comes to leveraging openness to support dynamic, responsive, and cost effective solutions. Open Source Programme Offices are popping up both in the public and in the private sector. Major investments are being directed towards the open source ecosystem for maintenance and security but also general capacity-building in order to meet the increased demand. When it comes to regulation, this was a year when “interoperability” became a buzzword in the European Parliament, and reading the European Commission’s proposals for an Interoperable Europe Act as well as a Data Act felt like reading reworked versions of OFE’s openness principles.

We are seeing more actors—companies, governments and regulators—engaging with, deploying and promoting open technologies to achieve strategic goals. We are seeing a growing awareness that open source is not just about code, but also about communities and the processes by which they interact. We are witnessing a rapid increase of interest in “open” approaches to public policy problems. As a reflection of and in response to these positive developments, OFE welcomed more new team members and supporters than ever during 2022.

Open and collaborative innovation is a source of optimism in digital policymaking. That is what we carry with us into 2023!

Join us for our EU Open Source Policy Summit on 3 February, where the focus will be on how Europe can make the most of the opportunities that “open” brings.

OFE’s Events in 2022
This year we had the pleasure to see friends and partners in person again. Our events also gave us the chance to meet new people from different technical and policy communities. Here is an overview of the events and panels we organised ourselves and together with partners.
OFE on the Conference Circuit
This year we were also able to travel beyond our homes in Brussels. We are thankful to everyone who helped organise these important conferences on open tech and digital policy. Have a look at some of the events where our team had a speaking role.
Thank you for taking a few minutes to look back on our actions and achievements. This year would not have been possible without our many friends and partners in the public and private sector, research, and policy. We are grateful for your support and honoured to be a part of this community, bringing openness to our digital future one step at a time. We have much to celebrate from 2022 and even more to do in 2023. 
 
Astor Nummelin Carlberg, Executive Director