The Danish government last Friday appointed five experts to evaluate the implementation of Open Standards in the country.
The committee is part of a study requested earlier by the Danish Parliament into the impact of Open Standards on competition. An second evaluation is currently undertaken by the Danish Competition Authority.
The two studies must investigate especially the impact of the implementation of Open document Standards, including the ISO-approved Open Document Format and Microsoft's not yet ISO-approved alternative OOXML. Results are expected around July next year.
According to a news article published by the Danish IT web site Computerworld, the commission is comprised of University of Copenhagen professor of Law Mads Bryde Anderson, Copenhagen Business School IT professor Kim Viborg Andersen, the chair of the association for Municipal IT managers Jorgen Kristensen and Copenhagen Business School IT professor Mogens Pedersen Kühn.
Computerworld could not yet confirm whether Bo Vesterdorf, the former President of the European Court of First Instance, will be part of the committee. Vesterdorf in 2004 presided over Microsoft's failed appeal to the European Commissions ruling that the IT company behaved as an monopolist.
According to the Computerworld news item, the establishing of the expert panel has already raised debate in the Danish government, since there is no member representing business. "We can debate whether the industry is missing from the committee, but it is probably the most independent panel we can provide in Denmark", replied member of the Danish parliament and IT-rapporteur Michael Aastrup Jensen.
© European Communities 2008
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
The views expressed are not an official position of the European Commission.
Disclaimer
Further information:
- Danish Competition Authority
- Computerworld news item (in Danish)
- Computerworld news item (in Danish)