The discussion around increasing European digital sovereignty has gained momentum as unprecedented international disputes continue and uncertainties keep rising. The question "do you really think that (a mainstream product) has a backdoor?", asked by decision makers, shows that public debate is catching on, and that Open Source communities and businesses have a unique opportunity to connect with policy-makers with a narrative that engages them. APELL – The European Open Source Software Business Association is the point of contact for EU policy makers that want to reach the European Open Source business ecosystem, and works to build trust and awareness of Open Source within the European institutions, governments, and public administrations, as well as the private sector.