[FSFE PR][EN] FSFE in battle for European interoperability

Free Software Foundation Europe press at fsfeurope.org
Mon Nov 9 16:38:06 CET 2009


= FSFE FSFE in battle for European interoperability =

[Permanent URL: http://fsfe.org/news/2009/news-20091109-02.en.html ]

9 November 2009, 16:30 CEST, Berlin, Germany

  FSFE has unleashed an advocacy push in order to prevent the European
  Commission from hollowing out an important European reference document
  on interoperability. A draft for a new version of the European
  Interoperability Framework (EIF) leaked to the press last week.

Where the current version strongly encourages the public sector to use
Free Software and Open Standards, the draft threatens to replace this
with meaningless statements which leave the European public sector at
the mercy of proprietary software vendors.

As the EC was gathering comments from Member States, FSFE contacted
senior government staff across Europe, emphasising the danger posed by
the new text and asking them to reject the draft. FSFE's President
Karsten Gerloff explained the importance of the document, the problems
in the draft, and the total failure of transparency in the processes
which led up to the current text.

Karsten Gerloff says: "FSFE will keep its eye on the ball as the
situation develops over the coming days and weeks. With the help of our
friends and supporters, we will work hard to fight off the current
threat to interoperability in the public sector. We will seek the best
possible result through constructive dialogue with Member States and the
European Commission."

[1] http://blogs.fsfe.org/gerloff/?p=285

== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==

  The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
  non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
  involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
  participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
  the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
  Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
  furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
  modify and copy.  Founded in 2001, 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 FSFE.

  http://fsfe.org


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