06 May 2026 00:00:00 +0100

April brought LLW, where we gathered with Legal Network members to discuss a wide range of legal and licensing topics. One of them was the DMA, legislation that is keeping us busy: we are exposing how Apple keeps blocking third-party developers, denying their interoperability requests. On a brighter note, over ten years of advocacy paid off: the EC is protecting users' right to install any software on radio devices. And we reached episode 50 in our SFP!Support FSFE: https://my.fsfe.org/support

Decades-long victory, bold Apple survey findings, legal workshop success & our 50th podcast episode

April brought LLW, where we gathered with Legal Network members to discuss a wide range of legal and licensing topics. One of them was the DMA, legislation that is keeping us busy: we are exposing how Apple keeps blocking third-party developers, denying their interoperability requests. On a brighter note, over ten years of advocacy paid off: the EC is protecting users' right to install any software on radio devices. And we reached episode 50 in our SFP!
"I spent all of my training budget this year on coming to LLW, but just the networking itself has already paid off!" LLW 2026 participant
European policy news: RED and DMA interoperability

We are starting this new month with great news: after more than ten years of persistent advocacy, we have a significant win to celebrate. The European Commission has decided to protect users' right to install any software on their radio devices, abandoning the article in the Radio Equipment Directive that threatened to undermine this freedom. This decision shows that persistent, evidence-based engagement with EU policy processes can achieve, and protect, software freedom. But this is also only possible when we have the long-term resources and stability to stay in the room, follow the process, and act at the right moment. That is exactly why we need your continued support.

Meanwhile, we have monitored how Apple is implementing its interoperability obligations under the DMA. Our recently released report “The challenges of regulating interoperability: Analysing Apple’s request-based approach under the Digital Markets Act” sheds light on how Apple has handled those requests in practice. Our analysis shows how 56 interoperability requests under the Digital Markets Act have produced no concrete solutions by Apple, and how their refusals contradict their own official documentation, leaving third-party developers locked out of iOS and iPadOS, despite the European Commission’s latest specification decision.

Following our publication, we published a summary of the report in the Tagesspiegel Background (DE). In the contribution, we explain how interoperability can be a powerful tool to break tech monopolies in the mobile market, and how its enforcement in the DMA is needed to empower Free Software developers.

Software Freedom Podcast: episode 50 about NGI

And more European news! Did you know that the FSFE is a partner of the European initiative Next Generation Internet Zero? Under this umbrella, the FSFE supports NGI0 grantee projects on legal and licensing issues, as well as helping them to become REUSE compliant. Although this project is ending next year, we are also happy to announce the new initiative that will follow in its steps: the EU project Restack. Listen to the latest episode of our podcast in which Bonnie and Gabriel discuss NGI0, introduce Restack, and explain why we need sustainable long term funding for fostering the Free Software ecosystem. If you know a Free Software project, or you have an idea that can contribute to an open, resilient, trustworthy, sustainable, and human-centered internet, you can apply for NGI0 funding:https://nlnet.nl/funding.html.

By the way, this is episode 50 of our podcast! We want to take a moment to thank every single one of you on the other side, listening to the Software Freedom Podcast. Fifty episodes in, and it is your curiosity, your support, and your commitment to software freedom that keep this going. We are truly grateful to our community and our listeners! And if you are a newcomer, you can find all our episodes here.

From the stages: LLW and more!

But that is not all that has happened in the last weeks! A few weeks ago the Free Software Legal & Licensing Workshop 2026 took place in Berlin, bringing together over 100 legal and compliance professionals, technologists, and policy experts from all over the globe. The LLW, organised by the FSFE, continued to explore the evolving legal landscapes impacting Free Software, with many discussions focusing on how software licensing is impacted by the advent of large language models and AI. Ths event was, once again, possible thanks to our 2026 sponsors: our Diamond sponsors Mercedes and Red Hat; the Sapphire sponsors Amazon (AWS), Microsoft, and Siemens; Topaz sponsors Bosch, Ericsson, and Google; and our Ruby sponsors Bird & Bird, Eclipse Foundation, and Liferay.

Not only at LLW did we learn about legal topics. Check out our Mastodon handle, where we regularly post poll questions on legal topics. They can come in handy in unexpected places: thanks to one of those polls, this editor actually knew an answer at the Pub Quiz during OggCamp 2026!

Speaking of which, these past weeks have been busy on the events front. After seven years, we were thrilled to return to OggCamp, where we ran an information booth and gave presentations. We also attended FOSS North, and last weekend joined the Augsburger Linux Info Day, where we delivered a keynote and a workshop.

In the coming weeks, our volunteers will be at the Festival de Tecnologia Popular de Setúbal, the Tübingen Digital Freedom Days, and more! Check events.fsfe.org.

From the Ada workshop

The illustrated story of ‘Ada & Zangemann’ continues reaching kids (and adults) worldwide. Recently, the Austrian Ministry of Education released an online course about ‘Ada & Zangemann’ with really cool exercises (and for students of German it can also be a great way to practice their German skills with Ada).

Your support helps us move our work forward

We may be behind the wheel, but you’re the ones keeping us moving forward. You can also support us, contribute to our work, and join our community. Are you using social media? If so, do not forget to follow us there! You can also follow the FSFE news in your RSS Reader.

Your editor, Ana

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