Free Software Foundation Europe Newsletter January 14

 = A strong close to 2025 at 39C3; a promising start to 2026 thanks to your support =

[ Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/nl/nl-202601.en.html ]

As 2026 begins, we are excited to see the projects from the new edition
of YH4F, kicking off this month, and to start preparing for FOSDEM! At
the same time, we are looking back at the last month of 2025: from 39c3
in Hamburg to our two latest Software Freedom Podcast episodes, and our
updates on the Cyber Resilience Act and our work in the Apple v.
European Commission litigation.

 === Wrapping up the year at the 39C3 ===

Like many of you, we ended 2025 at 39c3! A fantastic way to end the year
with high spirits and a shared hope for the future we all aspire to see
in 2048. During our days in Hamburg, we participated in the Bits&Bäume
habitat with a booth, talks, and workshops, engaging in deep, inspiring
discussions with the community that often stretched late into the night.
We also attended outstanding talks that reinforced how, together as a
community, we can actively work toward this vision. This vision includes
a future where all regulatory frameworks actively support the use and
development of Free Software, such as the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

    “The door is open a crack, the wind is blowing, the post-American
    internet is upon us. It’s a new, good internet that delivers the
    technological self-determination of the old good internet and the
    easy of use of the Web 2.0 that let's our “normie” friends to use
    to. And I can't wait for us all to get to hang out there because
    it's going to be great. ”, Cory Doctorow, at 39c3, during the final
    moments of his talk [1] in which he also asked people to donate to
    different organisations, such as the FSFE

 === The role of the CRA for Free Software, our intervention at the Apple case, and digital
sovereignty ===

Before the holiday festivities, we took, once again, one in-depth look
at this European law [2], sharing the insights and implications we
gathered through our workstream within the BSI project Dialogue for
Cybersecurity’: several questions remain open, especially regarding its
implications for the Free Software landscape. The relationship between
Free Software projects, potential stewards, and manufacturers hangs only
partially defined, and official guidance will help.

In 2025 we were also busy defending another EU law, the DMA and
intervening in the Apple v. European Commission (T-1080/23) [3] hearing
before the Court of Justice of the European Union. A couple of weeks ago
we sent you a mailing about the status of this case with our
achievements [4], which will have not been possible without your support
and donations.

Another hot topic in Europe at the end of 2025 has been digital
sovereignty and Bonnie and Alex tackle it in one of our Software Freedom
podcast episodes in December. The answer is clear: digital sovereignty
is only possible by empowering people and, therefore public
institutions, to control their technology and own infrastructure. [5] In
this context, we also participated in a consultation on the Digital
Decade Policy Programme of the European Commission. In Germany, we were
invited by the Digital Ministry to participate in a workshop on the
“Germany Stack”, giving us the opportunity to underline that digital
sovereignty needs Free Software [6].

 === New Year, next stops: YH4F, FOSDEM, Ada translations... ===

Meanwhile, 2026 is already underway and with it, the programming period
for the fifth edition of Youth Hacking 4 Freedom [7]! Registration is
still open, so if you know any European teenager eager to showcase their
skills and creativity with Free Software, now it is the time to get them
involved. Participants will have fun, meet like-minded peers, and even
have the chance to win cash prizes! Find out all the insights in our
dedicated podcast episode about it! [8]

While YH4F kicks off, we’re also busy preparing for our participation at
FOSDEM 2026,our first opportunity this year to see many of you in
person! One more time we will be there co-organizing the popular Legal &
Policy issues DevRoom as well as involved in the Funding the FOSS and
FOSS mobile ones. Besides some other talks and workshops, we we’ve got
some exciting new merchandise: fresh T-shirts, a new design for our Free
Software socks, and a brand-new sticker to help spread the word about
Device Neutrality and push back against the big tech companies
threatening interoperability.

But that is not all: “I Love Free Software Day” [9] is also around the
corner and we cannot wait to celebrate it in different cities across
Europe, as well as to get our hands on the latest published translation
of Ada & Zangemann: a Dutch edition is coming [10]! Pre-order it now and
get it at FOSDEM!

 === Your support helps us move our work forward. Thank you! ===

With our winter fundraising wrapped up, we want to send a huge *THANK
YOU* to everyone supporting us, including our amazing donors! We may be
behind the wheel, but you’re the ones keeping us moving forward. You can
also support us, contribute to our work, and join our community. Are you
using social media? If so, do not forget to follow us there! Maybe you
have already noticed we kicked off the year with a little game in
Mastodon [11]: a poll full of questions (and answers!) about Legal and
Licensing topics in Free Software! You can also follow the FSFE news in
your RSS Reader <https://fsfe.org/news/news.en.rss>.

Your editor,

Ana

Discuss this [12]

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  1: https://media.ccc.de/v/39c3-a-post-american-enshittificat...
  2: https://fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20251218-01.en.html
  3: https://fsfe.org/activities/apple-litigation/apple-litiga...
  4: https://fsfe.org/news/2026/news-20260102-01.en.html
  5: https://fsfe.org/news/podcast/2025/episode-42.en.html
  6:
https://download.fsfe.org/policy/consultations/Germany%20...
  7: https://fsfe.org/activities/yh4f.en.html
  8: https://fsfe.org/news/podcast/2025/episode-43.en.html
  9: https://fsfe.org/activities/ilovefs.en.html
 10: https://fsfe.org/news/2026/news-20260108-01.en.html
 11: https://mastodon.social/deck/@fsfe/115836146613430784
 12: https://mastodon.social/deck/@fsfe/115893116196862015