Government ignored 3rd most-popular citizens’ proposal
The French government should make the use of free software a priority in its Law for the Digital Republic (La République numérique), says April. The French free software advocacy group is asking Members of Parliament to reintroduce such a requirement into the draft law. The French government has ignored April’s proposal; the 3rd most-popular suggestion resulting from last year’s online public consultation.
The Loi Numérique will be presented to the French Parliament on 19 January.
“Giving priority to free software in the public sector attracts wide support”, says Frédéric Couchet, executive director of April. “However, the government turns a deaf ear, hoping that efforts to promote free software will increase by themselves”, he says. “The parliament should show determination, and emphasise the role of free software in the Loi Numérique.”
In a statement, April points out that the European Parliament is pushing for an increase of free software. In November, the EP called upon the European Commission to systematically replace proprietary software by auditable and verifiable open source software. The EP also wants to give priority to free software in all future ICT procurement procedures.
More information:
Press announcement by April (in French)
OSOR news item
OpenGovernment news item