Roadmap for Open and Co-created Virtual Worlds

Welcome to the OPENVERSE Roadmap! The European Commission aims to build a Web 4.0 and virtual worlds that reflect EU values, protect fundamental rights, and ensure our businesses can scale globally.

To turn this vision into reality, we need your expertise. The inputs and feedback collected on this page before 30 April 2026 will not just sit in a report—they will directly set the agenda for the Second Policy Workshop in Brussels in June 2026.

💡 How to Contribute

We want to hear from makers, service providers, policy-makers, and researchers.

Log in (or continue as a guest if your IP editing is enabled).
Click the "Discuss" link next to the Pillar or Key Action you want to weigh in on.
Click "Edit" at the top of the Talk Page.
Type your feedback and sign your comment by typing four tildes (~~~~).

(Example of a great, concise contribution from our Talk page: "Regarding blockchain: my reply is that the EU should facilitate upskilling, community building and ethical guidelines to help users positively and more easily go through virtual asset valuation..." – Pr@inspiringfutures.ch)

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🎯 The "Actionability Check": What We Need From You

A roadmap is only as good as its practical implementation. We are not just looking for abstract thoughts. When you review the Key Actions below, please evaluate them against our five practical implementation categories. Tell us what is missing or what needs to be prioritised:

Technologies: What infrastructure (e.g., EU cloud, AI chips) is lacking?
Products/Applications: What tools or software need to be built?
Markets: How can we ensure adoption in sectors like healthcare, smart cities, and education?
Capabilities: What skills, data stewardship, or design talents do we need?
Regulation/Stimulation Support: What sandboxes, financing schemes, or legal protections are required?

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⏱️ The 10 Key Actions (Grouped by Target Timeframe)

We have mapped out 10 Key Actions (KAs) to achieve our goals. Please focus your feedback on the timeframes that align with your expertise.

🔴 Immediate & Urgent Priorities (2026–2028)

KA2: Promote guiding ethical and health principles for well-being in VWs (including mental health research and privacy). -> [Discuss Pillar A on the Talk Page]
KA3: Promote inspiring partnerships across science, industry, and Member States. -> [Discuss Pillar D on the Talk Page]
KA6: Promote AI integration and corresponding skill building for VW creativity. -> [Discuss Pillar E on the Talk Page]
KA9: Support, strengthen and inaugurate new forms of financing for VW creators. -> [Discuss Pillar C on the Talk Page]

🟡 Medium-Term Deployments (2026–2032)

KA1: Build skills for VW technologies and applications; position the EU as a talent attractor. -> [Discuss Pillar C on the Talk Page]
KA4: Help EU Cultural & Creative Industries (CCI) and Media sectors test new business models. -> [Discuss Pillar C on the Talk Page]
KA5: Develop standards for open/interoperable virtual worlds, with sandbox options. -> [Discuss Pillar B on the Talk Page]
KA7: Boost professional virtual worlds through XR/VW cross-fertilisation in sectors of excellence (healthcare, manufacturing, education, city twinning, security). -> [Discuss Pillar D on the Talk Page]

🟢 Long-Term Scale-Out (2026–2035)

KA8: Sovereignty concerns: promote hardware, software and business champions; fight IPR theft, content manipulation, and misinformation. -> [Discuss Pillar E on the Talk Page]
KA10: Take better care of the environmental (energy and water) footprint of XR/VW deployments. -> [Discuss Pillar E on the Talk Page]