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.
http://fsfeurope.org
Contact
Europe:
Georg C. F. Greve <greve(a)fsfeurope.org>
phone: +49-40-23809080
fax: +49-40-23809081
Further contact information available at
http://fsfeurope.org/contact/