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le: 2026-08-03

The FSFE was founded in 2001 by a group of European Free Software advocates. 25 years later, this European charity has grown into one of the most respected organisations defending Software Freedom in Europe.

“Software already transcends daily life in an increasing manner and becomes a deciding factor. Just as other developments in the past of mankind, software developed from being an economic to a cultural property with increasing presence in everyday life. […] It is essential for the future of mankind that software as a cultural property will remain accessible for everyone and is preserved in libraries like other knowledge.” Founders of the FSFE, 2001

In 2001, a group of European Free Software advocates put their heads together to come up with ways to protect Free Software in Europe. Together they founded the Free Software Foundation Europe… and the rest is history.

The FSFE's 25-year story is the story not only of the staff, but also that of our volunteers and supporters, who contribute to our daily work. For a quarter-century, we have been educating current and future generations about the importance of the Four Freedoms. We have been helping developers understand licensing and legal terminology so they can keep doing what they do best. As FSFE we have been standing up to those who want to take control away from the people.

This July, at EuropPython 2026 in Kraków, our community came together to celebrate its 25th anniversary! FSFE staff, volunteers, donors, and founders gathered for a full weekend of talks, a booth, long evenings of networking, and ice-cream! All capped off with a proper birthday celebration: cake, a photo booth, and 25 years of stories swapped between old supporters and newcomers alike.

These 25 years have been possible thanks to our donors and supporters! At the FSFE25 we heard first hand why some of our donors support us. It was inspiring to see how much trust is placed into our work. For this we want to say thank you: to all of you!

Turning 25 is also a moment to look forward. As the FSFE looks to the next chapter, we are guided by our vision for 2048, a world where Software Freedom is no longer a niche concern, but the norm:

• Everyone has the right to remove and install any software on any of their devices.
• All public funding for software goes exclusively to Free Software.
• Regulatory frameworks actively encourage the use and development of Free Software.
• Licensing and legal decisions are grounded in facts, not fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
• Young people grow up with the freedom to tinker, experiment, and code, with Free Software as the default.

If the first 25 years were about proving that Software Freedom matters, the next 25 are about making it the norm.

What started as a small organisation in 2001 is now a Europe-wide charity with active volunteers across European countries, legal experts, a podcast, a children's book turned movie, a programming competition for teenagers, and court victories against some of the world's largest tech companies to its name. The Four Freedoms (to use, study, share, and improve software) are, if anything, more urgent today than they were back then.

Kudos to all of you who have been there supporting us and Software Freedom! Here's to the next 25 years!

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