FYI, this press release just went out.
Press-release of the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSF Europe) For immediate release
FSF Europe concludes two successful first years.
(Milano) Last weekend, the Free Software Foundation Europe held its 2003 general assembly in Milano, Italy. After two years of operation, it was time to draw a first summary and also hold elections.
Georg Greve and Jonas Öberg were re-elected as president and vice-president for another two years, Werner Koch was appointed new Head of Office. The FSF Europe thanks the former Head of Office, Dr. Peter Gerwinski, for his time, work and dedication.
During the general assembly, the FSF Europe drew a positive summary of the last two years. Highlights were becoming a partner of the European Commission in the AGNULA Information Society Technologies (IST) project within the first year and succeeding with its recommendation to give Free Software based projects preference for funding within the whole IST area of the sixth framework programme.
Another highlight area rising in importance especially recently is the legal safety and maintainability of Free Software.
In order to provide additional protection for Free Software, the FSF Europe has worked on its Fiduciary License Agreement (FLA), an agreement that allows authors to make the FSF Europe their fiduciary for all legal issues and that provides a possible solution for the needs of the numerous software projects that will need to establish some form of rights management.
Among the plans for the future are the organisation of a meeting between the associated organisations of the FSF Europe, as well as increased work in the legal and political field, which is where the largest potential dangers to Free Software and the information age are currently arising.
"Looking back at the past two years is fascinating. We were able to help convinving the the Commission on Intellectual Property Rights to commend Free Software to developing countries for its providing freedom and chances of sustainable local industries," says Georg Greve, president of the FSF Europe. "Also we opened the windows of opportunity with the European Commission. Our work for the next years will not only be to help creating more opportunities, but also to help people making use of them."
Jonas Öberg, Vice President of the FSF Europe, adds: "FSF Europe is also a truly global organisation, even if Europe is our main focus. We have been called upon for advice by governments outside of Europe, giving us a chance to participate in political conferences from Tokyo, Japan to Washington, USA."
The 2003 General Assembly was hosted by the Italian Chapter of the FSF Europe. "The GA came at an important time for the italian free software community", says Stefano Maffulli, Italian Chancellor. "The Italian government has just published an interesting report about Free Software in public administration and the renowed University Bocconi in Milan has recently held a conference on the economic viability of free software business."
More information can be found in the two-year executive summary online at
http://fsfeurope.org/documents/reports/es-2003.html
About the Free Software Foundation Europe
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSF Europe) is a charitable non-governmental organization dedicated to all aspects of Free Software in Europe. Access to software determines who may participate in a digital society. Therefore the freedoms to use, copy, modify and redistribute software - as described in the Free Software definition - allow equal participation in the information age. Creating awareness for these issues, securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues of the FSF Europe, which was founded in 2001 as the European sister organization of the Free Software Foundation in the United States.
Contact
Europe: Georg C. F. Greve greve@fsfeurope.org phone: +49-40-23809080 fax: +49-40-23809081
Further contact information available at