EOLE 2024

Navigating the New EU Regulatory Landscape in Open Source

The European Union has been on a regulatory spree in the digital space, affecting a wide range of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), including the previously less regulated area of open source software. Key regulations such as the Cyber Resilience Act, the Artificial Intelligence Act and the Product Liability Directive have begun to reshape the framework within which open source software stakeholders operate. In addition, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive continue to have a profound impact on the licensing, development and distribution of open source projects.

This year, EOLE is organising its conference in Turin in October (TBD). We will discuss and analyse the impact of these emerging regulations on open source projects, communities and software ecosystems. We invite thought leaders, legal experts, developers and policy makers to engage in a critical dialogue through presentations and workshops focusing on both the specific nuances of open source software regulation and the broader regulatory trends that could significantly influence open source dynamics.

The objective of the event is to share ideas and practices related to these regulations. The outcomes of the EOLE 2024 event will include dissemination of knowledge and consensus building regarding these topics, and may include checklists for regulatory compliance, action items, suggested best practices.