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118 linhas
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
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<html newsdate="2018-02-15">
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<version>1</version>
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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>
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<p>
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Following the <a href="/news/2017/news-20170214-02.html">well-established tradition</a>
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of gathering active Free Software groups before FOSDEM kicks off, the
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FSFE once again partnered up with <a href="http://www.openforumeurope.org/">OpenForum Europe</a>
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for the third edition of European Free Software Policy Meeting in Brussels,
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the heart of European decision-making.</p>
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<div class="captioned" style="width:80%; margin: 1.5em auto;">
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<img src="graphics/pmpc-eu-foss.jpg" />
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</div>
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<p>This time the purpose of the meeting was to shed light on topics important
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for Free Software in public policy all over Europe, not only within the
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European Union; and to exchange experience for any policy action within
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different regions in case similar concerns for Free Software pop up. Practice
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shows that they often do, and this is why it is important to be informed
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about similar actions in other parts of Europe, in order to be able to
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address corresponding concerns in a timely and effective manner.</p>
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<p>17 different groups were represented at the European Free Software Policy
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Meeting 2018: from national Free Software groups to public sector representatives,
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and international organisations. Our participants deemed to be a diverse
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group, yet similar in the challenges we face on both national and European
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level.</p>
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<h2>Common challenges for Free Software in Europe and beyond</h2>
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<p><strong>EU Copyright reform</strong>: Article 13 of the current copyright
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directive proposal <a href="https://savecodeshare.eu/">can seriously hamper</a>
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collaborative software development, and especially Free Software, imposing
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the use of mandatory upload filters, and illegal monitoring of their users.
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As a result of this proposal code repositories can be arbitrarily removed online.
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The directive proposal is currently being discussed by co-legislators in
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the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, which both
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are struggling to reach an agreement on <a href="/news/2017/news-20171130-01.html">controversial</a>
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Article 13. Action within the Member States to "#savecodeshare" is needed
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more than ever, in order to make sure that decision-makers understand the
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repercussions of Article 13 for Free Software.</p>
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<p><strong>Software patents</strong>: while the EU legislation to
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impose patents on software was rejected back in 2005, patentability of
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software insinuates itself into policy discussions through other means.
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In particular, the Unitary Patent Court Agreement (UPCA) may in practice
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impose the patentability of software in the EU. By now 15 Member States
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have ratified the UPCA, without such Member States as post-Brexit UK and
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Germany whose support is necessary in order for the Unitary Patent Court
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system to start to function. A <a href="http://www.nounitarysoftwarepatents.uk/">petition</a>
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against UPCA ratification was run in the UK, however, there is a need for
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remaining Member States to be aware of the practical ramifications of UPCA
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for innovation and especially software business in Europe.</p>
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<p><strong>Open Standards</strong>: standardisation policies are still
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being infiltrated by closed standards <a href="/activities/msooxml/msooxml.html">disguised as "open"</a>,
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and tricky patent licensing practices that are only called "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory"
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(<a href="/freesoftware/standards/why-frand-is-bad-for-free-software.html">FRAND</a>)
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in the name of greater innovation. In fact, these practices only dilute
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the discourse. It is time the term <a href="/freesoftware/standards/standards.html>">"open standards"</a>
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is used in accordance with the Free Software definition defined through
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<a href="/freesoftware/freesoftware.html">4 freedoms</a>,
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and appropriate Free Software licences as approved by
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<a href="https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html">Free Software Foundation</a>
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and <a href="https://opensource.org/licenses/alphabetical">Open Source Initiative</a>.
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Otherwise, we will continue facing misconceptions about (un)equal treatment
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of Free Software in public procurement, where Free Software can be de facto
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excluded as a result of policies prescribing business models.</p>
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<p><strong>Public Money, Public Code</strong>: "All publicly funded
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newly-established software should be made publicly available under Free
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Software licence". This is the <a href="https://publiccode.eu/">demand</a>
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that the FSFE together with ca 116 other organisations and Free Software
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projects, as well as more than 16 000 individuals are asking from politicians.
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The campaign is aimed at gathering evidence about public expenditure on
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software and other IT services in public sector, to provide information that is
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easily understandable for decision-makers, and to equip Free Software activists
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all over the world with tools to <a href="/activities/elections/index.html">ask their politicians</a>
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during national elections to make sure that software paid with taxpayers money
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is made freely available to the public.</p>
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<h2>Ways to move forward</h2>
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<p>The meeting once again proved that there is a need to continuously
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exchange ideas, update each other on concerns and victories for Free Software,
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and experience we gather while pursuing our mutual goals to maintain the
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ecosystem for Free Software to flourish. More collaboration and staying
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informed is necessary in order to establish the "smart network" of Free
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Software activists all over Europe and beyond, where more joint activities
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can take place. We will continue to build on that resource to share information,
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and update each other on activities crucial for Free Software, and to
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establish meaningful collaborations to address common challenges for Free
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Software.</p>
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</body>
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<tags>
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<tag key="policy">Policy</tag>
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<tag key="pmpc">Public Code</tag>
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<tag key="openstandards">Open Standards</tag>
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<tag key="public-administration">Public Administration</tag>
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<tag key="front-page"/>
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</tags>
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<author id="malaja" />
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</html>
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