A member of the French parliament, Isabelle Attard, has asked all 37 ministers to update the parliament on their use of free and open source software. Attard (Europe Ecology - The Greens) wants to know how the ministries are implementing the government's free software guideline, known as the 'Circulaire Ayrault'.
The guideline was signed by France's Prime Minister on 19 September.
In her question, MP Attard points out that the guideline urges all ministries to use free software in their IT systems. She wants to know what action has been taken to implement the guideline, what studies have been undertaken in regards to software migration. The MP is also asking if the guideline's criteria are integrated in IT procurement notices and whether there are any projects ongoing to migrate services in ministries away from proprietary software.
The MP is also asking ministries to detail how much they have spent on proprietary software, starting 2008.
Translation
April, a free software advocacy organisation, hopes the answers to the question will give a better idea of how much free software is being implemented in the ministries. "The publication of this Circular was a first step towards a more proactive policy, one that would make the use and development of free software in public administration take precedence."
The advocacy group published an English translation of the Circulair Ayrault in March. Their text is not an official translation.
More information:
Question by MP Isabelle Attard
April announcement (in French)
Joinup news item