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Open Source missing from EC's Digital Agenda

The release this week of the Digital Agenda by the European Commission (EC) has done little to ease the concerns of those who believe the EU is slipping further away from the use of Open Source Software (OSS) and open standards.

Regarding the issue of open source and standards, the Digital Agenda hinges on the European Interoperability Framework (EIF). The EIF document specifies the nuts and bolts of the EC's approach to what standards and systems to use. When the EIF was first released in 2004, it appeared to be unambiguous in its definition and support of OSS.

However, a recent draft version of the EIF, seen last November, saw a change in the EC's definition of OSS and standards. It substituted its existing direct and meaningful language with a less specific and more confusing definition of a "spectrum of approaches" towards specifications and software.

This was seen by those supporting Open Source as a the result of work by those with interests, such as royalty or license payments, in keeping proprietary systems and standards in use.

In February this year the newly appointed European Commissioner for Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, gave a speech hinting at the goals and actions the new Digital Agenda would outline. The document was to be ambitious, aiming to keep Europe at the forefront of 21st century economic and social developments.

In March it was announced there would be a public consultation on the European Interoperability Strategy, also concerning the EIF. This grabbed the attention of those worried about the draft changes to the EIF, and we saw many encouraging the public to contact the EC and express their own concerns with the strange new definition of Open Source.

Jeremy Bennett, CEO of Embecosm, released an open letter (link) to the EU Commissioners responsible, saying he was "very concerned that the draft of the new [EIF] completely redefined what is meant by Open Source Software, to include closed source software".

Glyn Moody of ComputerWorldUK.com said the draft EIF "revealed a staggering re-definition of what openness meant by suggesting that “closed” was part of the “openness continuum”" and urged people to submit comments in favour of a shift back towards adopting a definition of true open standards.

The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) looked at the evolution of the EIF over several drafts and concluded that "in key places, the European Commission has taken on board only the comments made by the Business Software Alliance, a lobby group working on behalf of proprietary software vendors. At the same time, comments by groups working in favour of Free Software and Open Standards were neglected, e.g. those made by Open Forum Europe."

The release of the Digital Agenda this week has done little to address the widespread concern with the change in attitude of the EC towards true Open Source and open standards. The Agenda reinforces the EIF document's role in outlining the approach of the EC to the adoption of standards. The Agenda also fails to mention "open source" directly.

The FSFE's President, Karsten Gerloff, has said "while it includes some important building blocks for Free Software, the omission of Open Standards rips a gaping hole in this agenda."

La Quadrature du Net, a digital rights group, has said that "the deletion of the reference to openness in the Digital Agenda is a clear defeat for innovation and competition on the Internet".

A spokesman for the Commissioner has countered the criticisms telling ZDNet UK "the language in the document makes clear our intentions, people shouldn't get too hung up about terminology. What counts will be the follow-up actions."

It remains to be seen if the EC will address these concerns with future revisions of the interoperability framework. However, it appears the concerted, long term effort of those with interests in seeing proprietary, royalty earning, platforms and standards have paid off.

OpenCores supports an approach involving the use of Open Source and open standards wherever possible. We would like to see the European Commission reaffirm its commitment to supporting and adopting Open Source and open standards wherever possible. OpenCores encourages those who are also concerned with the changes in the European Interoperability Framework to contact the relevant Commissioners, or your local MEP, and convey your views.

By Julius Baxter of ORSoC