[Parl-user] OSS in the EC

Fri Jun 13 14:30:07 UTC 2014

All,

I received the text below that sets out the current OSS policy (-making process) of the EC, the list of key of principles for the use of OSS and the preparation of the 2014-2017 strategy for use of OSS in EC.

Here is the link to the current version of the strategy, explaining what we have done so far: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/informatics/oss_tech/index_en.htm

Jaap

Text – start –

Briefing note - Open Source Software at EC

1. Background / context
Open-source software (OSS) is computer software that is available in source code form and is provided under a software license that permits users to study, change, and improve the software. Open source software is very often developed by communities in a public, collaborative manner. The software's users have the four essential freedoms : the freedom to run the program, the freedom to study how the program works and change it, the freedom to redistribute copies, and the freedom to distribute copies of the modified versions to others. Access to the source code is a precondition for these.

In the European Commission, we can identify two views on Open Source Software; one from the point of view of ICT world, applications and operations – mainly seen in DG DIGIT, and the other from policy point of view – information society (DG CNECT), market impact (DG MARKT) and e-government interoperability (DG DIGIT – ISA Programme).

The ICT point of view is more restrictive, and there is constant pressure from the policy stakeholders and civil society to follow more the developments in that area and oversimplifying it to "do more what we preach".

Related to this problematic, but not only in the context of the EC, the archenemy of OSS is identified as Microsoft due to their extended worldwide dominance of the desktop operating system (OS) and office automation (OA) software markets. This makes that the amount of attention for the use of OSS at the EC is linked to the lifecycle of the contractual framework for acquisition of OS and OA software.

2. Current status
In December 2000, the European Commission defined for the first time a strategy concerning the internal use of OSS . The strategy is built around a set of key principles such as the one that OSS is considered alongside proprietary software in IT procurements, looking at the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the solution.
The strategy document is updated in a cycle which includes producing an inventory of OSS used at the European Commission and a review of the impact of the previous iteration. The strategy for use of OSS at the EC was reviewed in 2003, 2007 and 2011, with a new revision foreseen in 2014. The more than 10 years lifetime of the document led to certain stability, while the level of abstraction of the document went up; the first versions were being very detailed and the latest is essentially a Decalogue of key principles.

Starting from the Decalogue mentioned above, the activities of the current cycle in the life of the Strategy for the use of OSS at the EC were mainly concentrated on the follow-up of the development in the context of the action 23 of the Digital Agenda for Europe , the review of ISA-funded CAMSS (Common Assessment Method Standards and Specifications) and improvement of the governance of OSS solutions – starting mostly with awareness raising.

The governance of OSS solutions crystallised more and more as a distinct discipline with the more consistent presence of OSS in corporate environments. Inside the EC the use of OSS also matured significantly leading to new needs surfacing or being reinforced; for example more and more projects are reaching out for help with licensing issues or with guidelines for their development teams.

3. Next steps:
The current Strategy for use of OSS at the EC is covering the timespan 2011-2013 and a new one for the period 2014-2017 is in preparation.
It is based on the current version ("continuity"), with the usual step of evaluation and an inventory of the OSS landscape at EC, taking into account the changes in the landscape of ICT at the European Commission since the previous iteration of the package.

4. Lines to take:
Take into account the dual view: the ICT view for serving the Commission needs and the policy view.
Recognise the value and stability of the 10 key principles.
Update the inventory
Annex
Strategy for the use of OSS at the EC for the period 2011-2013
The key components of the strategy are highlighted in the following Decalogue:
1.      The Commission will continue to adopt formally (through the Product Management procedure) the use of OSS technologies and products where a clear benefit can be expected.
2.      The Commission will consider OSS solutions alongside proprietary ones in IT procurements. Contracts will be awarded on a "value for money" basis.
3.      For all future IT developments, the Commission shall promote the use of products that support recognised, well-documented standards. Interoperability is a critical issue for the Commission, and usage of well-established standards is a key factor to achieve it.
4.      For the development of new information systems, where deployment is foreseen by parties outside of the EC infrastructure, OSS will be the preferred choice and in any case used whenever possible.
5.      The Commission will clarify the legal context around the internal use of OSS. Main topics to be addressed are: licensing schemes, Intellectual Property Rights, equal opportunities in the context of procurement and participation in OSS communities.
6.      Governance is essential to management of ICT; this applies to OSS as well as to any ICT asset. The current evolutions of product management, from products to solutions, will apply to OSS as well. The EC will further develop guidelines and best practices allowing the setup of OSS and mixed solutions covering the full set of needed professional services, including deployment of OSS solutions in its data centres at the same level of service as the proprietary ones.
7.      The Commission will continue to develop and adopt best practices and proven tools emerging from OSS communities. In addition, the EC will facilitate and promote the creation of communities for those OSS products released by the Commission.
8.      OSS plays an important role in e-Government projects and will be therefore considered within the framework of these activities.
9.      The collaboration between Commission teams in charge of the internal and external OSS strategies will be further enhanced in order to achieve convergence.
10.     The ICT ecosystem is extremely dynamic, innovative, and constantly evolving; as such it impacts many areas of the Commission's policies. Within this context, DIGIT will continue to play an active role in promoting partnerships between the European Institutions and other stakeholders in the field of OSS.

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