<blockquote>"The use of Free Software imposes itself on public institutions: Free Software gives everyone the right to use, understand, share, and improve
programs for any purpose. Public institutions are financed by taxes. They must ensure that they spend the money as efficiently as possible. By using
Free Software, public bodies can collaborate in developing code and use existing solutions without having to reinvent the wheel over and over again.
If it is public money, the code should be public too! In addition, Free Software helps to minimise dependencies on individual providers and thus
creates the basis for digital sovereignty. FSFE has therefore developed the "Public Money? Public Code!" campaign to show administrations the advantages
of using Free Software. However, a common place to exchange this software within public institutions is still missing in Germany."
explains Alexander Sander, EU Policy Manager of FSFE. </blockquote>
<p>Accordingly, "A Place for Public Code" pursues the following approach: Free Software for the administration must be findable in a structured
way and it must be possible to develop and document collaboratively while being legally compliant. In addition, it is important that the environment
promotes the exchange between the stakeholders, such as programmers, users and administrators, and supports the creation of networks so that
communities can be created around individual projects.</p>
<p>In order to fulfil these requirements, a catalogue of Free Software solutions, a federated user administration, a code and an information platform
are needed. Free Software solutions already exist for this purpose, which can be rolled out in a first step. The next step is now to find a supporting
organisation and ensure stable financing to meet the needs of the stakeholders who will use this platform in the future.</p>
<p>The initiative "A Place for Public Code" invites administrations, politics and the Free Software community to participate in the discussion and to
further develop the project, which can significantly accelerate the digitisation of administration, in line with the Free Software idea. </p>
<p>The background paper on this initiative can be found <ahref="https://download.fsfe.org/policy/papers/20200910-Ein-Ort-fuer-oeffentlichen-Code.v1.pdf">here (.pdf)</a>.</p>
<imgsrc="https://pics.fsfe.org/uploads/medium/2882a7897a476a702d8cbbcb950411d3.jpg"alt="Hands pointing to 1 Place for Public Code"/>
<figcaption>A Place for Public Code</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The "Public Money? Public Code!" initiative aims to establish Free Software as a standard for publicly funded software. Public administrations
that follow this principle can benefit from numerous advantages: Cooperation with other government bodies, independence from individual vendors, potential
tax savings, promotion of innovation and a more solid basis for IT security.</p>
<p>The "Public Money? Public Code!" initiative of the Free Software Foundation Europe is supported by over 180 organisations and administrations, including
<description>The increased use of Free Software is a central component for more digital sovereignty. We call for the development of a code repository with Free Software for the public sector.</description>