The German Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein has become the first regional government in the world to formally endorse the United Nations Open Source Principles, reaffirming its leadership in digital governance and innovation. By doing so, the State commits to advancing open, secure, sustainable and accessible technologies that serve the public good.
The endorsement was announced yesterday in Brussels on the margins of the EU Open Source Policy Summit, by Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister and Head of the State Chancellery, Mr. Dirk Schrödter, and Mr. Omar Mohsine and Mr. David Manset, Co-Chair and Vice-Chair of the UN Open Source United, respectively. The endorsement symbolizes international recognition of Schleswig-Holstein as a pioneer in open technologies.
The UN Open Source Principles establish a global framework to foster collaboration, transparency, reuse, and the development of digital public goods and digital public infrastructures, supporting governments and institutions worldwide in adopting open-source approaches for inclusive and sustainable digital transformation.
A Federal State With a Long Tradition in Open Technologies
Schleswig-Holstein has long been a pioneer in advancing public and open technologies and continues to strengthen its position as a leading digital hub by modernizing its IT workplace and expanding the use of open source solutions across core administrative systems. Through the state programme Open Innovation, public and non-profit organizations, in partnership with the regional digital economy, are invited to propose ideas for innovative open-source projects. This initiative sends a clear signal in favour of sustainable digitalization. The solutions developed respond to local needs while strengthening a broad range of stakeholders across the regional ecosystem. Since 2024, 31 projects have been funded, covering broad thematic areas, ranging from education and sports to family support services and classic public administration topics, such as an open document management solution.
This trajectory has enabled Schleswig-Holstein to develop technological initiatives that place people and the common good at the centre, demonstrating how open-source principles can strengthen trust, participation, and resilience in the digital age.
