In een brief
aan Julian Priestly, secretaris-generaal van het Europees Parlement, vragen de Europese Groenen dat ook het EP
open source-software zou gebruiken. Morgen, woensdag 17 september, organiseren ze een persconferentie en een
discussieronde over het patenteren van software.
Inschrijven voor de conferentie van
morgennamiddag is NOODZAKELIJK en wel bij lvandewalle@europarl.eu.int - gelieve de url van deze pagina mee te
sturen bij de aanvraag tot inschrijving.
Call for free/open source software
in the EU institutions
The Green/EFA group in the European Parliament has
called on the EU, and in particular on the European Parliament, to support free/open-source software by
introducing it into their IT systems.
In a letter (see below) to the Secretary
General of the Parliament, Julian Priestly, the two Green/EFA Co-Presidents Monica Frassoni and Daniel
Cohn-Bendit, argue that - as well as supporting Europe's software industry - switching to free and open source
software would benefit the Parliament in terms of data continuity, technological independence and budgetary
considerations. It would additionally take note of the Parliament's Echelon resolution, which recommended using
non-proprietary software to increase technological security.
Many European Public
Administrations have already moved from proprietary based software systems to open source, including the German
federal government, the Federation des Mutualités Socialistes in Belgium, the Lazio regional government in
Italy, the Ministerio Administraciones Publicas in Spain, the city of Turku in Finland, and Riga city council in
Latvia.
The Green/EFA Group is holding a press conference on software patenting
taking place tomorrow Wednesday 17 September at 15.00 in the European Parliament in Brussels. Following the
press conference experts from the fields of software development and consumer protection will meet with
economists and scientists to discuss the impact that the proposed European directive on the patenting of
computer implemented inventions will have on Europe's software industry, research and consumers (16.00 -18.30,
room PHS 5 B 001). A debate and vote on the Parliaments' Report (McCarthy) on the proposed directive is
scheduled for the next Strasbourg plenary session, 22 - 25 September.
The programme of the
conference
---
Mr Julian Priestly
Secretary General
European Parliament
Brussels,
16 September 2003
Dear Mr Priestly,
We are
anxious to contribute to the development of our Parliament's information policy. With this in mind, we would
like to draw your attention to the increasingly important role that free and open source software plays in the
European market. Indeed, a considerable number of large public administrations have already switched from
proprietary to open source software for reasons of data continuity, technological independence and budget. This
is of great benefit to the development and viability of open source software.
The
Green/EFA Group - and in particular our Vice-President, Mr Gérard Onesta - have already discussed the role of
open source software in bureau meetings of the Parliament and with other authorities. We would like the
Parliament, in liaison with the other European institutions, to plan to either begin phasing open source
software into the IT system, or to give the choice between open source and proprietary software of the Microsoft
type to the people who use software in the institutions.
We truly believe that by
taking a step in this direction, the European Parliament could demonstrate its desire to respond to the
expectations of its constituents while still remaining in touch with technological developments.
We would be grateful if you could examine our request, discuss it with the relevant services
of the Parliament and keep us informed of the feasibility of our institution's transition to free and open
source software. We are of course at your disposal to discuss specifics.
In the
meantime we are assured that you will treat our request with sensitivity and seriousness, and we remain,
sincerely yours,
Monica Frassoni & Daniel Cohn-Bendit
Co-Presidents of the Greens/ALE