117 satır
5.7 KiB
HTML
117 satır
5.7 KiB
HTML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
|
|
|
|
<html newsdate="2009-11-27">
|
|
<version>1</version>
|
|
|
|
<head>
|
|
<title>FSFE: EC caves in to proprietary lobbyists on interoperability</title>
|
|
</head>
|
|
<body>
|
|
|
|
<h1>FSFE: EC caves in to proprietary lobbyists on interoperability</h1>
|
|
<h2>Free Software industry criticises remarks by Commission's Vice
|
|
President Siim Kallas</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>The European Commission (EC) has given in to the demands of
|
|
lobbyists for Microsoft and SAP when it revised a key document on
|
|
interoperability between electronic government services. The Free Software
|
|
Foundation Europe (FSFE) has analysed the evolution of a new version of the
|
|
European Interoperability Framework (EIF), showing that Commission has based its
|
|
work on the input of the Business Software Alliance (BSA), a lobby group for
|
|
proprietary software vendors, and ignored the voices of a large part of the
|
|
European software industry. At the same time, remarks by the EC's Vice President
|
|
about Free Software point to a worrying lack of awareness within the
|
|
Commission.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>A draft for a revision of the European Interoperability Framework
|
|
(EIF) <a href="https://blogs.fsfe.org/gerloff/?p=285">leaked to the press earlier this month</a>. Whereas the earlier version of
|
|
the document strongly supports the use of Free Software and Open
|
|
Standards in the public sector, the new text only carries a
|
|
meaningless description of an "openness continuum", which absurdly
|
|
enough includes proprietary specifications.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>FSFE has tracked <a href="/freesoftware/standards/eifv2.html"><strong>how key parts of the revised European
|
|
Interoperability Framework have evolved over time</strong></a>. A version of the document
|
|
was the basis of a public consultation in the summer of 2008. FSFE's
|
|
analysis shows in detail how from this basis, the views of the BSA
|
|
lobby group have influenced the present draft of the text. At the same
|
|
time, the European Commission has ignored comments by companies,
|
|
groups and individuals in favour of Open Standards and Free Software.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>"The European Commission must not make itself the tool of particular
|
|
interests. The current draft is unacceptable, and so is the total lack
|
|
of transparency in the process that has led to this text," says
|
|
Karsten Gerloff, FSFE's President.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>On this background, recent remarks by Siim Kallas, the European
|
|
Commission's Vice President in charge of administration, show a
|
|
worrying lack of awareness of <a href="/freesoftware/standards/standards.html">Open Standards</a> and <a href="/freesoftware/freesoftware.html">Free Software</a> in
|
|
parts of the Commission. In <a href="http://www.se2009.eu/en/meetings_news/2009/11/19/press_conference_the_ministerial_declaration_on_egovernment">a high-level press conference</a> (Flash) on November 19 in Malmö, Sweden, Kallas said that he
|
|
considered Free Software a problem for "business continuity". He
|
|
likened Free Software to a Wikipedia article, saying that "in
|
|
Wikipedia text, you see that there are brackets and footnotes, that
|
|
information should be confirmed, or should be checked [...], and if
|
|
you use open source, if you use the same logic in operational things,
|
|
you must have certainty what will happen next."</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>FSFE is deeply concerned about these remarks. "Mr Kallas is
|
|
badmouthing a whole sector of the European IT economy", says
|
|
Gerloff. "Either Mr Kallas is actively hostile to Free Software and
|
|
Open Standards, or he is entirely ignorant about them. Both is simply
|
|
not justifiable in a Vice President of the European Commission in
|
|
charge of the EC's administration."</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Elmar Geese, Chair of Linux-Verband, a German association of Free
|
|
Software businesses with 80 members, shows himself surprised at Mr
|
|
Kallas' remarks. "We do not know who advised Mr Kallas to say these
|
|
things. To me, this sounds like the propaganda of fear, uncertainty
|
|
and doubt from 10 years ago. We invite Mr Kallas to inform himself
|
|
about the Free Software industry. I am sure this will change his
|
|
mind."</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Jan Wildeboer, Red Hat EMEA Evangelist, rejects Kallas'
|
|
remarks. "Compared to many proprietary alternatives, Free Software
|
|
shows that it not only saves money but also delivers high quality
|
|
solutions. The use of Free Software in mission-critical environments
|
|
all over the world is proof of its quality."</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Such statements from the EC give a boost to the critics of the new
|
|
version of the EIF. FSFE argues that the original EIF has served well
|
|
as a guideline to the European public sector. Even though it is only a
|
|
recommendation, it has become an important reference in Europe and
|
|
beyond. If it needs to be revised, the new document should improve
|
|
interoperability through reliance on Open Standards, rather than
|
|
promote proprietary software and specifications. The Commission should
|
|
go back to the consultation document and work from there, making sure
|
|
that this time comments from all sides are properly addressed.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Red Hat's Wildeboer shares the criticism: "It is good to see that
|
|
EIFv2 is under more scrutiny now. We need a strong focus on
|
|
interoperability based on Open Standards. The leaked draft version
|
|
shows how a lack of transparency can hurt that goal. Now is the time to ask
|
|
some serious questions. I fully trust the Commission to reinstate the
|
|
goals of EIFv1. Open Standards and Open Specifications are key to
|
|
interoperability."</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>FSFE's President Karsten Gerloff argues: "If the Member States of the European Union
|
|
want to preserve the credibility of European institutions, they should
|
|
reject the current draft of the EIF. Instead, they should help the
|
|
Commission to build a better one that puts Open Standards front and
|
|
centre."</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
</body>
|
|
|
|
<tags>
|
|
<tag key="openstandards"/>
|
|
<tag key="policy"/>
|
|
<tag key="eif"/>
|
|
</tags>
|
|
|
|
</html>
|
|
<!--
|
|
Local Variables: ***
|
|
mode: xml ***
|
|
End: ***
|
|
-->
|