Today, on the 26th of June, the Commission’s Open Source Observatory is revealing a new layout that reflects OSOR as a fundamental pillar of Interoperable Europe, the initiative of the European Commission for a reinforced public sector interoperability policy. The revamped graphic design also celebrates OSOR’s 15-year anniversary, the spirit of open collaboration, and the shared commitment of our European community to digital advancement.
Since its creation in 2008, OSOR’s existence has always been intertwined with interoperability. It was established by the European Commission under the auspices of the IDABC programme (Interoperable Delivery of European eGovernment Services to public Administrations, Businesses and Citizens) as part of its strategy to promote the use and reuse of open source software within the public sector across Europe. The Observatory’s primary objective was to encourage cooperation and knowledge sharing among public administrations and to provide a support base for those wishing to adopt open source solutions. OSOR’s mission was then supported by ISA and ISA2, the subsequent programmes focusing on the EU public services’ interoperability, as open source is one of its crucial enablers.
Over the course of its existence, OSOR has seen a remarkable expansion of its community, with public administration specialists joining from all corners of Europe. As a platform for disseminating news, reports, and studies, the Observatory has evolved into a resource centre for information exchange and learning, supporting the European public sector's capacity to truly benefit from open technologies. Since 2011, OSOR has been part of the Joinup platform, where it has created a comprehensive repository of open source projects, case studies, guidelines, and tools to facilitate the adoption of open source solutions in public administration settings. It is now one of the key elements of the Interoperable Europe initiative under the DIGITAL Europe Programme.
Glimpses of the future
Throughout this anniversary year, “OSOR has placed a special emphasis on bringing the community together, facilitating collaboration, exchanging invaluable knowledge, and discussing the role of open source communities in supporting the implementation of the upcoming Interoperable Europe Act,” says Monika Sowinska, Project Officer responsible for OSOR. ”The OSOR team has been conducting a series of workshops and webinars, zeroing in on strategic approaches to open source software within the public sector. The insights and experiences gathered will culminate in a practical handbook, slated for publication later this year.”
But there's more to come. “The rest of the year is packed with new OSOR activities, all aimed at further supporting the use of open source in the public sector. We also have some exciting surprises up our sleeve,” promises Sowniska. She invites you to stay in the loop so you won’t miss a thing. She adds, “Just join our community and sign up for our newsletter.”
If you have any questions or want to work with the Observatory, just get in touch with the OSOR team at EU-OSOR[at]ec.europa.eu.