# Outline of a European policy plan to support open source software As outlined during the OW2Con21 conférence. [Slides here](https://speakerdeck.com/sfermigier/ow2con-2021-how-public-policies-can-contribute-to-the-sustainability-of-the-european-open-source-ecosystem-and-why-they-should) ## General principles * **Enforce** existing regulations “encouraging”, “preferring” or “mandating” the use of F/OSS in the public administration, add missing ones * **Promote** the F/OSS ecosystem, including the EU business sector * **Finance** both innovative and maintenance work, using the proper financial tools ## Proposed strategic plan ### Double down on OSPOs * OSPOs everywhere + network of OSPOs * Engagement with the F/OSS EU business ecosystems should be explicit in their mission * One of the OSPOs’ KPIs should be to explicitly increase the proportion of F/OSS in IT purchasing by the public administration they are working for ### Finance open source work * Increase the proportion of F/OSS (and OSH…) projects in **R&D and Innovation financing** * Ensure that proper, **direct contractualisation** with F/OSS SMEs is possible and regularly activated, including with F/OSS vendors * Ensure that **large support contracts**, which are usually awarded to large IT companies, provide enough value to SME that create and maintain the software they support * Develop **explicit funding schemes** for infrastructure software when the contractualisation schemes above are not an option ### Level the playing field for F/OSS * **Promote** F/OSS, either specifically (e.g. directories of existing solutions and technologies) or in the context of existing promotion schemes for the tech sector (e.g. “La French Tech”) * Increase awareness around F/OSS in the **education** and higher education curricula * Ensure adequate **legal frameworks**: interoperability requirements, public procurement regulations, no software patents, GDPR, etc. * Keep the influence of “**big tech**” companies at bay