Open Source in Local Governments: Lessons from across the EU
Session Abstract
Discover how European local governments successfully collaborate on open source solutions. Based on 5 in-depth case studies including Consul Democracy, Digitransit, and Golemio, learn proven governance models, collaboration archetypes, and actionable strategies for scaling sustainable cross-border digital public services.
Session Description
As Europe aims for 100% online public services by 2030, local governments face unique challenges in adopting and reusing open source software, particularly when building internal capacity, adapting for the needs of the public sector, working within existing regulations, and collaborating across borders. This talk presents exciting research from a new Open Source Observatory (OSOR) study on open source in local governments, examining five mature European case studies of local government open source collaboration, from Madrid’s Consul Democracy platform used globally to Prague’s Golemio smart city solution.
Participants will discover three critical collaboration archetypes: local governments as adopters, community actors as stewards, and service suppliers as technical enablers. They will learn how cities overcome barriers like conservative procurement practices, limited technical capabilities, and vendor lock-in through innovative governance models and cross-border partnerships. Key takeaways include: proven strategies for designing reusable solutions from day one, funding models that ensure project sustainability, effective roles for local government associations, and recommendations for building capable service supplier ecosystems.
Whether you’re a policymaker, technologist, or open source advocate, you will gain practical insights for creating and sustaining digital infrastructure through collaborative open source development in the public sector.
