Europese Groenen vragen dat Europese instellingen open source-software zouden gebruiken

• 2003-09-16

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

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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