Source: Daring Fireball
Europe's compliance burden—from CE marking to product liability rules—has become economically prohibitive for individual makers and small shops selling open-source electronics. Creators face a choice: relocate, abandon projects, or join larger companies that can absorb legal costs. Regulatory friction meant to protect European consumers now gatekeeps who participates in hardware innovation, systematically favoring consolidated manufacturers over distributed production. The EU celebrates digital sovereignty and open-source values while pricing out the people building decentralized alternatives.