The Netherlands, France, Estonia, and Germany recently announced their intention to establish a new European initiative known as the European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC) focused on digital common goods, also referred to as digital commons. This consortium aims to develop, maintain, and expand digital commons in Europe.
What are digital commons?
Digital common goods are characterised by shared ownership, in addition to a specific management and maintenance structure. Examples include open-source software and hardware, open data, open educational resources, and open standards. Digital commons are open, transparent, and collectively developed, providing an alternative to existing non-value-driven providers.
Why is this important?
By collaborating on digital commons, European countries can strengthen their digital sovereignty and shape the digital world in a way that aligns with European values such as privacy, transparency, and equality. The Netherlands, France, Estonia, and Germany are joining forces to support and promote this crucial initiative.
What will the EDIC for Digital Commons do?
The consortium aims to coordinate existing initiatives and provide support to the European community. This includes technical assistance, legal aid, and fundraising support for projects. One of the key activities is establishing a central hub (both a physical location and an online platform) where projects can seek assistance.
Engaging discussions
At the beginning of this month, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) hosted an online meeting about EDIC for Digital Commons. During this meeting, the project leader gave an update on the plans and the follow-up process. Ultimately, BZK seeks to engage in discussions about the future participation in the EDIC for Digital Commons. What are the criteria, and what must projects meet?
In the coming months, the participating countries will continue to work on establishing the EDIC for Digital Commons and submit an official application to the European Commission.
