Summary As proposed in the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), the Network of Open Source Programme Offices (OSPO Network) is a coordination network the Commission would establish under Article 44 to facilitate cooperation on implementing the open source chapter. OSPOs set up by public sector bodies at local, regional or national level, and those set up by Union entities, may request to join. The network would exchange information and best practices, promote sharing and reuse of open-source software, and contribute — on a voluntary and non-binding basis — to guidance, templates and recommendations. The Commission supports and coordinates it and convenes meetings at least twice a year. CADA is still a proposal, so the network does not yet exist in law.

Detail

CADA (COM(2026) 502 final) places emphasis on open source as a lever for the Union's technological autonomy. To support the open source chapter (Chapter V of Title IV), the proposal would establish the Network of Open Source Programme Offices, or OSPO Network, under Article 44.

Legal basis and establishment

Article 44(1) provides that "the Commission shall establish a network of Open Source Programme Offices ('OSPO Network') to facilitate cooperation on the implementation of the obligations under this Chapter." It is a cooperation and support body, not a regulatory or enforcement body.

Recital 84 of the proposal explains the purpose: to "ensure effective and consistent implementation across the Union" of the chapter's obligations, it is necessary to set up a network of open-source programme offices "bringing together the relevant structures within Union entities and Member States," promoting coordination between OSPOs at local, regional or national level and those of Union entities, and facilitating "the exchange of information and best practices."

Who can join

Participation is by request. Under Article 44(2), "Open Source Programme Offices established by public sector bodies at local, regional or national level in a Member State, and those established by Union entities, may request from the Commission to join the OSPO Network." Eligibility therefore spans from EU institutions and agencies down to municipal-level offices — provided such an OSPO exists and requests to join.

Core tasks

The network's tasks are set out in Article 44(3):

  • Exchange of information and best practices — facilitating the exchange of information, experience and best practices between Member States and the Commission, in particular by discussing common technical, legal and organisational challenges, including those related to licensing, security, maintenance and procurement of open-source software (Article 44(3)(a));
  • Promoting sharing and reuse — promoting the sharing and reuse of open-source software by public sector bodies (Article 44(3)(b));
  • Voluntary guidance — contributing, on a voluntary and non-binding basis, to the development of guidance, templates or recommendations on the sharing and reuse of open-source software (Article 44(3)(c)); and
  • Collaboration on common projects — collaborating on and exchanging open-source projects of common interest to Union entities and public sector bodies (Article 44(3)(d)).

The Commission's role

Under Article 44(4), the Commission "shall support and coordinate the OSPO Network." Under Article 44(5), the Commission "shall convene and chair a meeting of the members of the OSPO Network at least twice a year," and those meetings "may be organised online." The Commission's role is facilitative and coordinating rather than directive.

How it connects to the rest of the chapter

The OSPO Network supports the other open source provisions. Article 41 sets the "open source first" encouragement (a duty on the Union and Member States to encourage open source use and reuse). Article 42 requires that software a public body chooses to make available for reuse under an open source licence be published through a catalogue connected to the EU Open Source Solutions Catalogue established by Article 43. The network helps public bodies navigate these, for instance through guidance on licensing or on preparing software for reuse — though its outputs are non-binding.

What this means for you

For public-sector IT leaders and procurement officers, the OSPO Network — if adopted — would be a resource for navigating the proposed open source provisions.

  • Access to expertise. Even without an in-house OSPO, you could benefit indirectly from network outputs and from collaborating with OSPOs in your Member State or region, drawing on shared advice about licensing, security and procurement.
  • Templates and guidance. The network would develop voluntary templates and recommendations you can adopt at your discretion to streamline open source practices.
  • Peer support. It offers a forum to discuss common challenges with peers across Member States and Union entities.
  • Help with reuse. Where you make software available for reuse, the network can guide you on licensing and on publishing via a catalogue connected to the EU OSS Catalogue (Articles 42 and 43).

If your organisation works with open source at scale, establishing or designating an OSPO would make it eligible to request membership under Article 44(2). These are proposed measures; CADA must be adopted and apply before they take effect.

Common misconceptions

Misconception 1: Participation in the network is mandatory. No. Article 44(2) provides that eligible OSPOs may request to join — participation is voluntary. There is no requirement for a public body to have an OSPO or to join.

Misconception 2: The open source provisions impose a blanket duty to use open source. Article 41 is framed as a duty on the Union and Member States to encourage open source use and reuse, weighed against functionalities, security, total cost and other duly justified objective criteria. Article 42's publishing rule applies only where a body voluntarily decides to make owned software available for reuse. The chapter encourages and channels open source; it does not mandate open source for everything.

Misconception 3: The OSPO Network has regulatory or enforcement power. No. Its tasks are cooperative; Article 44(3)(c) makes its guidance "voluntary and non-binding." Enforcement of CADA's obligations lies elsewhere (national competent authorities and the Commission), not with the network.

Misconception 4: The network only handles technical issues. Article 44(3)(a) expressly covers "technical, legal and organisational challenges," including licensing, security, maintenance and procurement — so it is multidisciplinary.

Related

This is general information about a draft EU regulation, not legal advice.