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    <title>European Free Software Policy Meeting 2018: more joint activities important for Free Software in Europe</title>
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  <h1>European Free Software Policy Meeting 2018: more joint activities important for Free Software in Europe</h1>

<p newsteaser="yes">
 Following the <a href="https://fsfe.org/news/2017/news-20170214-02.html">well-established tradition</a> 
 of gathering active Free Software groups before FOSDEM kicks off, the 
 FSFE once again partnered up with <a href="http://www.openforumeurope.org/">OpenForum Europe</a> 
 for the third edition of European Free Software Policy Meeting in Brussels, 
 the heart of European decision-making.</p>

  <div class="captioned" style="width:80%; margin: 1.5em auto;">
      <img src="graphics/pmpc-eu-foss.jpg" />
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<p>This time the purpose of the meeting was to shed light on topics important 
for Free Software in public policy all over Europe, not only within the 
European Union; and to exchange experience for any policy action within 
different regions in case similar concerns for Free Software pop up. Practice 
shows that they often do, and this is why it is important to be informed 
about similar actions in other parts of Europe, in order to be able to 
address corresponding concerns in a timely and effective manner.</p>

<p>17 different groups were represented at the European Free Software Policy 
Meeting 2018: from national Free Software groups to public sector representatives, 
and international organisations. Our participants deemed to be a diverse 
group, yet similar in the challenges we face on both national and European 
level.</p>

<h2>Common challenges for Free Software in Europe and beyond</h2>


<p><strong>EU Copyright reform</strong>: Article 13 of the current copyright 
directive proposal <a href="https://savecodeshare.eu/">can seriously hamper</a>
collaborative software development, and especially Free Software, imposing 
the use of mandatory upload filters, and illegal monitoring of their users. 
As a result of this proposal code repositories can be arbitrarily removed online. 
The directive proposal is currently being discussed by co-legislators in 
the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, which both 
are struggling to reach an agreement on <a href="https://fsfe.org/news/2017/news-20171130-01.html">controversial</a> 
Article 13. Action within the Member States to "#savecodeshare" is needed 
more than ever, in order to make sure that decision-makers understand the 
repercussions of Article 13 for Free Software.</p>

<p><strong>Software patents</strong>: while the EU legislation to 
impose patents on software was rejected back in 2005, patentability of 
software insinuates itself into policy discussions through other means. 
In particular, the Unitary Patent Court Agreement (UPCA) may in practice 
impose the patentability of software in the EU. By now 15 Member States 
have ratified the UPCA, without such Member States as post-Brexit UK and 
Germany whose support is necessary in order for the Unitary Patent Court 
system to start to function. A <a href="http://www.nounitarysoftwarepatents.uk/">petition</a> 
against UPCA ratification was run in the UK, however, there is a need for 
remaining Member States to be aware of the practical ramifications of UPCA 
for innovation and especially software business in Europe.</p>

<p><strong>Open Standards</strong>: standardisation policies are still 
being infiltrated by closed standards <a href="https://fsfe.org/activities/os/msooxml.html">disguised as "open"</a>, 
and tricky patent licensing practices that are only called "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory"
(<a href="https://fsfe.org/activities/os/why-frand-is-bad-for-free-software.html">FRAND</a>)
in the name of greater innovation. In fact, these practices only dilute 
the discourse. It is time the term <a href="https://fsfe.org/activities/os/os.en.html>">"open standards"</a> 
is used in accordance with the Free Software definition defined through 
<a href="https://fsfe.org/about/basics/freesoftware.html">4 freedoms</a>,
and appropriate Free Software licences as approved by 
<a href="https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html">Free Software Foundation</a>
and <a href="https://opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical">Open Source Initiative</a>. 
Otherwise, we will continue facing misconceptions about (un)equal treatment 
of Free Software in public procurement, where Free Software can be de facto 
excluded as a result of policies prescribing business models.</p>

<p><strong>Public Money, Public Code</strong>: "All publicly funded 
newly-established software should be made publicly available under Free 
Software licence". This is the <a href="https://publiccode.eu/">demand</a> 
that the FSFE together with ca 116 other organisations and Free Software 
projects, as well as more than 16 000 individuals are asking from politicians. 
The campaign is aimed at gathering evidence about public expenditure on 
software and other IT services in public sector, to provide information that is
easily understandable for decision-makers, and to equip Free Software activists 
all over the world with tools to <a href="https://fsfe.org/campaigns/elections/index.html">ask their politicians</a>
during national elections to make sure that software paid with taxpayers money 
is made freely available to the public.</p>


<h2>Ways to move forward</h2>

<p>The meeting once again proved that there is a need to continuously 
exchange ideas, update each other on concerns and victories for Free Software, 
and experience we gather while pursuing our mutual goals to maintain the 
ecosystem for Free Software to flourish. More collaboration and staying 
informed is necessary in order to establish the "smart network" of Free 
Software activists all over Europe and beyond, where more joint activities 
can take place. We will continue to build on that resource to share information, 
and update each other on activities crucial for Free Software, and to 
establish meaningful collaborations to address common challenges for Free 
Software.</p>


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<tags>
   <tag content="Policy">policy</tag>
      <tag content="Public Code">PMPC</tag>
      <tag content="Open Standards">OpenStandards</tag>
      <tag content="Public Administration">PublicAdministration</tag>
  <tag>front-page</tag>
</tags>
<author id="malaja" />
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