Abstract This research paper focuses on European Union (EU) government policy relating to market economies of open source software. The paper discusses the official position and current EU policies regarding open source software, examines a legal case study concerning open source software vs. proprietary software and looks at Brazil's policy regarding this subject. Additionally, the paper looks into EU intellectual property law and a new proposed software patent directive and how each will affect open source legality in the EU.
Table of Contents
Current EU Software Policy: Any Directives,
Regulations, White-papers and Official Documents
Detailing the Current Official Position of the European
Union on Software
Free and Open Source Software versus Proprietary
Software Legal Case Study -
How will E.U. Governments be Affected if They Follow
the Brazilian Example, and its Effect on E.U.
Intellectual Property Policy?
How will E.U. Intellectual Property Law and New
Proposed Software Patent Directive Affect Open
Source Legality in the EU?
Legal Cases that Set Precedents for Intellectual
Property Concern in Open Source Software Use
Conclusion and Summary
From the Paper "The "Television without Frontiers Directive" focuses on the creation of necessary conditions to allowing television broadcasts free movement all across the EU region. Secondly "Communication" of 2004 clarifies the method by the Directive is applied in relation to the interactive techniques of advertising that are yet new." (Information Society and Media, 2005) Other issues are yet under review and are stated to have the capacity to result in amendments of the TVWF Directive or the new directives proposal by 2005 years end. Other EU policy framework is inclusive of regulations that "promote competition between infrastructure providers and service providers while ensuring access for user of networks and citizen's rights; measures on copyright and digital rights management; access to and use of public information, as specified under the Public Sector Information Directive; and eInclusion, ensuring that all Europeans can access the new generation of digital content and services." (Information Society and Media, 2005)"
