Policy Advocacy Activities
Since its foundation in 2001, the FSFE has been working every single day to further Free Software in Europe and beyond. With our concrete activities, based upon the three pillars of our work, we focus on protecting and extending user rights. Some of our actions run for many years, some are aimed at short-term developments, but all are part of our mission: empower users to control technology.
Another major part of our work consists of continuous engagement and background work. We are present at dozens of conferences per year, support and maintain an excellent community and provide it with helpful resources. Furthermore, we are a prominent contact point for all questions and enquiries around software freedom, and user rights.
We need political change to strengthen Free Software. Learn more about how we achieve this.
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Public Money? Public Code!
Why is software created using taxpayers' money not released as Free Software? We want legislation requiring that publicly financed software developed for the public sector be made publicly available under a Free and Open Source Software licence. If it is public money, it should be public code as well. Code paid by the people should be available to the people!
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DMA: Apple Litigation
The FSFE is intervening to safeguard Free Software in a key court case involving Apple and the European Commission. Apple is trying to avoid obligations derived from the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The FSFE seeks to hold Apple accountable under the DMA in a developer-friendly way.
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Device Neutrality
Although digital devices are ubiquitous today, the number of devices on which users cannot run Free Software is exponentially increasing. The consequence is an increased loss of control over users’ technology. Device Neutrality aims to enable end-users to bypass gatekeepers to have a non-discriminatory use of Free Software on their devices.
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Digital Markets Act
Device Neutrality is the policy concept to regulate monopoly over devices and re-establish end-user control over their digital equipment. The Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulates the economic activity of large digital platforms and introduces Device Neutrality in the EU legislation, fostering access to Free Sofware in Devices.
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Router Freedom
Although we should be free to choose the technical devices we use in our private lives, some European Internet Service Providers are dictating which device their customers have to use to connect to the Internet, or discriminating against owners of alternative devices. This undermines our basic freedom of choice.
More Policy Activities
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Radio Lockdown Directive
An EU regulation may make it impossible to install a custom piece of software on most radio devices like WiFi routers, smartphones, and embedded devices. It requires hardware manufacturers to implement a barrier that disallows users to install any software which has not been certified by them.
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Electoral Activities
What could be a better time to ask politicians about their stance on Free Software and Open Standards than the run-up to an election? We believe we can and should raise these issues in all elections, European, national, regional and local. Depending on the electoral system and culture, we use different strategies and tools.
Software Patents in Europe
We are working towards a world where software does what software users want it to do. For this, software users must be able to participate in the development and distribution of the software. Software patents block this goal by adding legal and financial risks to software development and distribution and by giving the patent holders legal power to completely prohibit software developers from using the patented ideas.
PDFreadersAbgeschlossen
The PDFreaders initiative aims to shine a spotlight on government organisations that promote proprietary PDF readers. With the help of activists across Europe, we have contacted these organisations and told them how they can improve their websites to respect our freedom. On pdfreaders.org we present Free Software PDF readers for all major operating systems.
Microsoft vs. EU Antitrust CaseAbgeschlossen
In 2001 the European Union started investigating Microsoft's dominant position in the market for desktop operating systems. The FSFE represented the interests of Free Software developer as a public interest organisation who cannot be bought off. Thanks to the excellent work by all involved parties, the case was won in all rulings up to the European Court of Justice in 2012.
Unlock Education in the NetherlandsAbgeschlossen
This activity was specifically targeted at the Dutch education sector, with the aim of enabling citizens to have free access to education and public institutions, both online and offline. By promoting the mandatory use of Open Standards and platform-independent access to all materials, students and parents will be able fulfil their potential for personal growth and development without being dependent on a company.
Internet Governance Forum (IGF)Abgeschlossen
Das Internet Governance Forum (IGF) ist ein globales Richtlinien-Diskussionsforum der Vereinten Nationen, das als ein Ableger des Weltgipfels der Vereinten Nationen zur Informationsgesellschaft (WSIS) entstanden ist. Die FSFE verfolgte das IGF um sicher zu stellen, dass die diskutierten Richtlinien digitale Freiheit im Allgemeinen und Freie Software im Speziellen nicht gefährden.
MS-OOXMLAbgeschlossen
Since the beginning of the standardisation process for Microsoft's Office Open XML - OOXML (hereafter MS-OOXML), the FSFE has raised serious doubts about whether MS-OOXML can be considered open. FSFE was the first to raise the issue in the community, led the movement against the standardisation of MS-OOXML, and has been closely following developments over the years.
IPRED2Abgeschlossen
Die Europäischen Kommission hat eine zweite Richtlinie zur Durchsetzung "geistiger Eigentums Rechte" vorgeschlagen. Das Ziel dieser Richtlinie ist die Kriminalisierung aller "vorsätzlichen, kommerziellen" Rechtsverletzungen und die Teilhabe der Rechteinhaber an den Untersuchungen. Die FSFE zeigte den EU Institutionen auf, wie solche Gesetze den Mißbrauch des Rechtssystems fördern und eine abschreckende Wirkung auf gesetzestreue Tätigkeiten haben.
World Intellectual Property OrganizationAbgeschlossen
Die World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) ist eine von 16 spezialisierten Agenturen des Systems der Vereinten Nationen. Ihre Rolle ist die Verwaltung von 23 internationalen Verträgen zu verschiedenen Aspekten begrenzter Monopole auf Wissen. Als Beobachter der WIPO und gemeinsam mit einer globalen Koalition anderer Teilnehmer mit ähnlichen Zielen, arbeitete die FSFE daran, sie zur "Weltorganisation für geistigen Reichtum" umzugestalten.
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)Abgeschlossen
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) was a two-summit UN conference organised by the ITU to propose important cornerstones for the information and knowledge society. The FSFE participated with other civil societies to ensure that the principles of the digital age would protect digital freedom, knowledge sharing, access to information and Free Software.
Classification of Free Software as a World Cultural HeritageAbgeschlossen
The goal was to have Free Software classified by UNESCO as an Intangible World Heritage and registered in the World Memory Register (another UNESCO project). The Free Software community and UNESCO share the same values of freedom, equality and fraternity. Such recognition would be a great boost for Free Software.
EUCD - Copyright extensions that harmAbgeschlossen
The European Copyright Directive (EUCD) was the European equivalent of the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). These laws lead to the creation of monopolies and cartels, and pose serious obstacles to freedom of speech and the press by providing means for digital censorship. The FSFE has been actively involved in opposing such harmful legislation.