The Eclipse Foundation and the ORC Working Group launch ORC Learning Hub to help open source developers, maintainers, and software teams prepare for the Cyber Resilience Act

Free, open source–focused training helps developers, maintainers, project stewards, product teams, OSPOs, and compliance professionals understand and act on CRA requirements ahead of the September 2026 deadline

BRUSSELS, June 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Eclipse Foundation, one of the world’s largest open source software foundations, in collaboration with the Open Regulatory Compliance (ORC) Working Group, today announced the launch of the ORC Learning Hub, a free global education initiative designed to help the people responsible for building, maintaining, securing, and governing open source software prepare for the European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). The program provides practical, role-specific training for open source developers, maintainers, contributors, project stewards, product teams, security and compliance professionals, OSPO leaders, and legal teams.

While the CRA is a European regulation, its impact is global. Any organisation that distributes or commercialises software-enabled products in the EU market, including those built on open source, must comply with its requirements. Open source is now nearly universal in modern software, with more than 96% of commercial codebases containing open source (OpenLogic 2026 State of Open Source Report). As a result, the need for clear, actionable guidance is urgent across the global software industry.

“The CRA changes the rules for how software is developed and delivered globally,” said Mike Milinkovich, executive director of the Eclipse Foundation. “Because open source is part of almost every modern application and system, CRA readiness has to happen where software is actually built. The ORC Learning Hub helps developers, maintainers, project stewards, and software teams understand what the CRA requires and put that knowledge into practice.”

Developed by the ORC Working Group and hosted by the Eclipse Foundation, the ORC Learning Hub brings together expertise from across the open source ecosystem, industry, and regulatory domains. It delivers open source–focused training to help organisations understand how the CRA applies in real-world scenarios and what actions they need to take.

With the first CRA obligations set to take effect in September 2026, organisations face a narrowing window to prepare. Until now, guidance has been fragmented and largely high-level, particularly when it comes to open source software. The ORC Learning Hub addresses this gap by delivering clear, actionable, and role-specific education aligned with modern, open source–driven software development practices.

The Cyber Resilience Act introduces mandatory cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements sold in the EU, including those built with or dependent on open source software. It places new responsibilities on manufacturers and distributors of such products in the European market. The CRA also introduces a new actor, the open source software stewards, which must adopt secure development practices, ensure transparency, and manage vulnerabilities across the entire software supply chain.

At the core of the ORC Learning Hub is a modular training program designed to guide organisations through CRA readiness step by step. The full program includes:

• Module 1: Introduction to the CRA for Open Source Software
• Module 2: Introduction to the CRA for Manufacturers
• Module 3: SBOMs and Vulnerability Management in Open Source
• Module 4: CRA Due Diligence and Open Source Usage
• Module 5: Vulnerability Management in Practice
  

The Learning Hub launches with Modules 1 and 2 available today, providing tailored entry points for:

• Open source developers, maintainers, contributors, and project stewards
• Product teams, security and compliance professionals, OSPO leaders, and legal teams

Additional modules covering SBOMs, due diligence, and vulnerability management will soon be released.

The ORC Learning Hub is designed to:

• Help developers, maintainers, project stewards, and software teams understand what the CRA means for their work
• Clarify how CRA obligations apply to open source software, communities, and downstream product development
• Provide role-specific guidance for manufacturers, developers, maintainers, OSPOs, security teams, and legal/compliance professionals
• Help organisations operationalise CRA readiness across modern, open source-based software supply chains
• Support global collaboration on emerging regulatory best practices
  

The ORC Learning Hub is free and available globally. Organisations and open source stakeholders are encouraged to begin preparing now, ahead of the September 2026 deadline, and to stay engaged as new modules and guidance are released. The program is available at https://orcwg.org/training/

About the ORC Working Group
The Open Regulatory Compliance Working Group (ORC WG) brings together open source foundations, global enterprises, and industry stakeholders to address the growing impact of software regulations on open source. With more than 60 members, ORC develops best practices, specifications, and practical resources to help organisations navigate evolving regulatory requirements. Its initial focus is the European Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), while supporting the long-term security, sustainability, and adoption of open source innovation worldwide.

About the Eclipse Foundation
The Eclipse Foundation provides a global community of individuals and organisations with a vendor-neutral, business-friendly environment for open source collaboration and innovation. We host Adoptium, the Eclipse IDE, Jakarta EE, Open VSX, Software Defined Vehicle, and more than 400 high-impact open source projects. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, we are an international non-profit association supported by over 300 members. Our events, including Open Community Experience (OCX), bring together developers, industry leaders, and researchers from around the world. To learn more, follow us on X and LinkedIn, or visit eclipse.org.

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