Various European Commission consultations

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An Open Web Data Infrastructure for Europe: We’re actively helping to shape European policy and legislation!

We completed the OpenWebSearch.EU project in April this year. Nevertheless, the OpenWebSearch Initiative, which brings together many partners from the OWS project and new stakeholders from research and industry, continues to work tirelessly on and for the Open Web Index (OWI).

The initiative not only aims to develop the infrastructure further, but is also committed to creating the framework conditions for a European Web Data Infrastructure. Shaping European policy and influencing legislation in support of an open European Web Data Infrastructure are, and will remain, key tasks of the initiative and the OSF.

We take every opportunity to emphasize the importance of a web data infrastructure for Europe!

With this mission in mind, we have, over the past few months, submitted comments on various European Commission consultations in collaboration with the OpenWebSearch Initiative and the PriDI project. In these consultations, citizens and other stakeholders can provide feedback on the Commission’s planned policy and legislative initiatives.

Among other things, we participated in the consultation on the Digital Decade Policy Program, the Digital Fitness Check, and the consultations on the review of the Copyright Directive and on European Partnerships and Joint Undertakings. Our comments are published on the European Commission’s website and are taken into account by the Commission when evaluating its initiatives.

You can find more information about the individual consultations in which we participated and our comments at https://openwebsearch.eu/remaining-active-we-provided-feedback-for-various-european-commission-consultations/. We have also provided links to our comments there.

It’s worth sticking to it, which is why we will continue to play an active role in Europe and work toward establishing the framework for a European web data infrastructure.

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German panel discussion in partnership with the Weizenbaum Institute: register now!

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“Sovereignty on the Web – How a European web data infrastructure strengthens freedom, the economy and democracy”

As part of #ossym 2026, we are delighted to invite you, in partnership with the Weizenbaum Institute, to an evening event featuring a panel discussion in Berlin. Please note that the event will be held entirely in German.

  • What: Panel discussion followed by networking (including snacks)
  • When: 8 October 2026, 7.00 pm
  • Where: Weizenbaum Institute, Hardenbergstrasse 23, 10623 Berlin

    Weizenbaum event englisch

The development of competitive European services in the field of artificial intelligence – particularly in innovative approaches such as agent-based AI and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) – requires access to valid, large-scale web data. At present, the value generated from this publicly accessible data on the internet is almost exclusively controlled by a handful of non-European monopolists. This lack of transparency poses massive risks for Europe: distorted information, one-sidedly trained AI models and products that do not reflect European values and legislation jeopardise our digital sovereignty and democratic discourse.

Political initiatives such as the Digital Commons EDIC are important milestones, but they fall short without an open and comprehensive web data infrastructure of our own. Europe urgently needs an independent web search and web data infrastructure as the foundation for innovation and freedom.

Key questions in the discussion:
  • How can we ensure free and unbiased access to global information for European businesses and the academic community?
  • What framework conditions must policymakers put in place to provide an open, values-based alternative to the monopolies held by providers from third countries?
  • How does an independent data infrastructure strengthen the resilience of our democracy and economy in the age of AI?
Panelists confirmed so far:
  • Stefan Mesken (Chief Scientist, DeepL)
  • Esther Görnemann (Research Synthesis Officer, Weizenbaum Institute)
  • Stefan Voigt (Chair of the Open Search Foundation; researcher at DLR)

Moderator: Olivier Blanchard (Economy Working Group at the Open Search Foundation, management consultant)

Registration

Registration for free on-site attendance is now open. Please register here.
Further information on the evening event can be found here. Subject to change.

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Google is once again in the pillory for favoring its own services

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In July 2026, the European Commission imposed a fine of 890 million euros on Google for, among other things, supposedly favoring its own search services, such as Google Shopping and Google Flights, over those of other providers, and thereby violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

The fine imposed is the highest the Commission has ever imposed for a violation of the DMA.

Read more about what the Commision‘s decision means, what happens next, and how the PriDi team assesses the fine that has now been imposed. Hop over to the PriDi project blog and get filled in on the details here. (Please Note: the blogpost is available in German language only.)

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