Projects
Open Standards
Lock-in of data is one of the most common techniques to artificially raise the cost of migration to Free Software. Ensuring the best possible interoperability through Open Standards is essential in enabling users to escape vendor lock-in. FSFE's work on Open Standards has the goal of making sure that people do not have to lose all their data when migrating to Free Software.
7th EC Framework Programme (FP7)
The European Commission funds research and development through official framework programmes (FP for short). From 2007 these framework programmes will be used to select projects for support until 2013. FSFE will play a central role in supported projects related to Free Software.
STACS
STACS (Science, Technology and Civil Society) is a project that seeks to bridge the gap between civil society and research in order to increase the societal relevance of research being done. The project aims to accomplish by educating both civil society organisations and researchers, and finding common projects to work on for the future.
Freedom Task Force (FTF)
The Freedom Task Force is helping individuals, projects and businesses with Free Software licensing. It provides assistance, training and manages networks of technical and legal experts to help in this. The FTF works in partnership with gpl-violations.org to resolve licence issues in the European arena.
Internet Governance Forum (IGF)
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a global policy discussion forum of the United Nations, established as an outcome of the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). FSFE is following the IGF to ensure that policy discussions will not endanger digital freedom in general and Free Software in particular.
DRM.info
DRM.info is a collaborative platform initiated and maintained by FSFE to inform on the dangers of Digital Restrictions Management and make visible the concerns from various different groups. DRM.info contributors include digital liberty, consumer protection, net-activism and library organisations.
IPRED2
A second directive on the enforcement of "intellectual property rights" has been proposed by the European Commission. It aims to criminalise all "intentional, commercial-scale" infringements, and to allow rights-holders to take part investigations. FSFE will be pointing out to the EU institutions how such laws encourage abuse of the legal system and have chilling effects on law-abiding activities.
GPLv3
The June 29th 2007 release of version 3 of the GNU General Public License (GPL) marked the end of an eighteen month public consultation process. During this time, FSFE worked to raise awareness of the changes proposed for the licence, to help the community to participate in the public consultation, and to document the ongoing discussion to make this topic as accessible as possible.
World Intellectual Property Organization
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is one of the 16 specialized agencies of the United Nations system of organisations. Its role is administrating 23 international treates dealing with different aspects of limited monopolies on knowledge. As an observer to WIPO and together with a global coalition of other players with similar goals, FSFE is working towards reshaping it as a "World Intellectual Wealth Organisation."
Microsoft versus European Union citizens
In 2001 the European Union, through the DG Competition of the European Commission (lead by Mr. Mario Monti), started investigating Microsoft's dominant position in the market for desktop operating systems. The Free Software Foundation Europe was invited by the European Commission to represent the interests of the Free Software movement. Since 2004, FSFE is participating in the appeal to again defend competition and freedom of choice against abuses.
Software Patents in Europe
Software patents for Europe are currently being pushed forward actively by a lobby gathering around the European patent office and the Business Software Alliance (BSA), which represents the interests of the large U.S. companies. Software patents are a menace to society and economy and the FSFE is actively involved in the resistance against such plans.