BSI and OSBA engage in a dialogue about digital independence

Claudia Plattner, President of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), has responded to the Open Source Business Alliance's (OSBA) concerns regarding her comments on digital sovereignty. In an open letter, Plattner clarified that she never expressed, in an interview with the German Press Agency, that she or the BSI considered digital sovereignty unattainable.

The BSI's digital sovereignty strategy, as explained by Plattner, focuses on strengthening the European market and digital industry, while adapting or embedding non-European products when necessary. This strategy does not fundamentally contradict the views and interests of the OSBA, according to Plattner.

The BSI's dual strategy includes securing and enhancing non-European technologies to ensure data control and governance remains with Europe. The focus lies on engaging and investing in areas where Europe aims for global excellence in parts of the digital value chain.

In her response, Plattner stated that for the BSI, digital sovereignty means having options, and strengthening and strategically further developing open-source software is important. This aligns with the OSBA's emphasis on strategically investing in the development of open software alternatives and making expansion a priority for digital sovereignty.

The OSBA, along with 59 co-signatories, reacted to Plattner's explanation with an open letter, expressing concern about the impression that Europe's digital sovereignty was unattainable. The OSBA's open letter emphasized the importance of strategically investing in the development of open software alternatives and making expansion a priority for digital sovereignty.

Peter Ganten, CEO of Univention and Chairman of the OSBA Board, expressed gratitude for the quick and comprehensive response from Claudia Plattner and welcomes the invitation to the conversation. Ganten believes that the views and interests of the BSI and OSBA can actually not fundamentally contradict each other.

The dual strategy aims to answer three questions: which technologies to purchase and use 'out of the box', which to aim for global excellence in, and which non-European technologies to secure and enhance. Plattner reiterated this strategy, stating that for the BSI, digital sovereignty above all means having trustworthy products available, so that decisions can be made sovereignly.

The debate between the BSI and the OSBA highlights the importance of strategic decision-making in achieving digital sovereignty. Various organizations and individuals, including the OSBA, the German Federal Ministry under Dr. Wildberger, and European initiatives like OSSBIG, have advocated for a strategy to strengthen and develop open source software to enhance digital sovereignty, emphasizing targeted investments, setting open standards, and making open source a core principle in IT infrastructure for public administration.