EC pushes for use of open source with EIF

European Interoperability Framework aims to promote innovation with the use of open source software and open standards within the public sector

The EC has released its European Interoperability Framework (EIF), recognising the importance of open source software and open standards in innovation within the public sector.

The document aims to promote and support the delivery of European public services by fostering cross-border and cross-sector interoperability.

It also aims to enable the provision of European public services to businesses and citizens, and complement and tie together a series of National Interoperability Frameworks at European level.

It calls on European governments to "prefer open specifications, taking due account of the coverage of functional needs, maturity and market support" when establishing public services.

The document also states that the EIF: "Should be taken into account when governments are making decisions on national public services that in future may be reused as part of a European-wide public services."

A central theme of the EIF is the underlying principle of openness, which encourages people, organisations or other members of a community of interest to share knowledge and solve problems.

Another theme is that of reusability; this is a situation whereby public administrations must be willing to share their solutions, concepts, tools, frameworks, specifications and components.

Standards must meet the following criteria:

• Stakeholders will have the same possibility of contributing to the software or standard, and public review is part of the decision-making process.
• The software or standard is available for everybody to study.
• IP rights related to the software or standard are licensed on FRAND (Fair, Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory) or royalty-free terms in a way that allows implementation in proprietary and open source software.