Press-release of the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSF Europe) For immediate release
FSF Europe completes successful first year
(Paris) On May 26th 2002, the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSF Europe) finishes its second general assembly, completing the first year of activities. Members from Sweden, Italy, Germany and France drew a summary of last years activities, analyzed the current situation of Free Software and exchanged plans and visions for the upcoming year.
"The past year has been a difficult one for the IT industry, but a very successful one for the FSF Europe." says Jonas Oberg, Vice-President of the FSF Europe. "Following our plans last year, we were able to establish good connections with the Free Software community throughout Europe and the world, bringing the number of associates of the FSF Europe up to seven organizations in six countries."
In the political field, the FSF Europe has been able to deliver serious impulses for Free Software. Its recommendation for the upcoming 6th framework programme of the European Commission was backed by over 50 companies, associations, research institutes and consortiums. Also the FSF Europe participated in making Free Software a topic during the French presidential elections.
"The FSF Europe established a well-working cooperation with the Free Software community and organizations in France. Together we approached politicians from the big parties." says Frederic Couchet, French chancellor of the FSF Europe. "As a result, all major candidates issued statements about their position on Free Software and software patents."
"The fear of software patents getting established in Europe is casting a shadow at all Free Software activity right now, our assembly not being an exception." explains Bernhard Reiter, German chancellor of the FSF Europe. "It is clear that the FSF-Europe will stay engaged to ensure that the position of the Free Software community on this and other political topics is heard."
To ensure the persistance and continuity of Free Software is another seminal topic on the agenda of the FSF Europe for the next year.
"Most Free Software developers and many companies are not yet aware that legal maintainability can be as important as technical maintainability for software." says Georg C. F. Greve, President of the FSF Europe. "Raising awareness for these issues and offering a solution to this problem will be an important step to secure the long-term future of Free Software."
These two areas of interest are supplemented by the activites of the FSF Europe in the 5th European framework programme within the AGNULA project, which aims to provide an entirely Free Software GNU/Linux distribution for professional audio users and will be announced shortly.
"The words of the Mayor of Florence and the President of Tuscany at the press conference following the kick-off meeting in April have shown that Free Software is becoming part of the political agenda for parties in Italy." says Stefano Maffulli, new member of the FSF Europe and designated Italian chancellor. "We are glad that the Centro Tempo Reale initiated this project and asked the FSF Europe to provide Free Software competence, vision and also legal maintainability for it."
About the FSF Europe:
The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSF Europe) is a charitable non-governmental organization dedicated to all aspects of Free Software in Europe. Access to software determines who may participate in a digital society. Therefore the freedoms to use, copy, modify and redistribute software - as described in the Free Software definition - allow equal participation in the information age. Creating awareness for these issues, securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues of the FSF Europe, which was founded in 2001 as the European sister organization of the Free Software Foundation in the United States.
More information: http://fsfeurope.org/
Contact: Georg C. F. Greve greve@gnu.org Tel: +49-40-23809080 Fax: +49-40-23809081
Further press contact information is available at http://fsfeurope.org/press/.