Workshop about the future of Open Source Software and Open Source Hardware

Workshop Title: "Open Source beyond 2020 - Powering a Digital Europe"
Venue: Avenue de Beaulieu 25, 1160 Brussels (Auderghem)
Co-organizers: Directorate-General Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT)Directorate-General Informatics (DIGIT).
Schedule: 

• November 14
  - From 8h30 : Registration
  - 18h - 19h30 Reception

• November 15
  - From 8h30 : Registration
  - 15h00 : Closing Session

OW2 CEO Cédric Thomas is a speaker in the plenary panel representing OW2 and the European OSS communities along with Open Forum Europe, Suse and Red Hat. 

In his presentation (slide and script) Cedric Thomas highlighted the role of open source software as a vehicle for collaborative innovation and identified five directions for a relevant OSS public policy:

1- Redirect subsidies and adapt grant processes. The European Commission should make OSS the de facto IP regime for research projects; proprietary IP should be the exception rather than the norm and be substantiated. The consortium agreement template proposed to research projects should be updated accordingly.
2- Reduce uncertainty, simplify compliance. It would be useful to facilitate the management of license compliance by introducing an EU-wide legal framework defining open source license compatibilities that would supersede national legislations and facilitate the management of software with different licenses.
3- Focus on supply push–demand pull interaction. Innovation, and particularly open source innovation, is nothing without strong demand. The Commission should establish financial incentives to reward users who engage with open source communities, who support the EU OSS ecosystem and contribute back to EU-led OSS projects.
4- Shift the status of OSS from unorthodox to normal. The European Commission should show its commitment and send a powerful signal in favor of open source by engaging with policy makers and business leaders in a campaign of events and outreach initiatives to pass the message that OSS is not weird and that it creates value for the benefit of all.
5- Develop EU OSS incubation programme. There are existing European projects and communities worthy of support. This could be a well targeted fine-grained initiative to help high-potential EU-driven OSS projects and communities leveraging cross-border EU markets to reach a critical mass providing them with both credibility and sustainability.

 
Panel 1: Role of Open Source as Innovation enabler
Schedule: November 14, 9h45 - 11h15
Abstract: During the past 15 years, Open Source Software has experienced a dramatic expansion and has constituted a cornerstone that supports many  new  products.  We  are  now  starting  a  new  decade  and  Open Source  seems  up  to  fit  for  innovation  and  economic  development.What  are  the  emerging,  OSS  based,  business  models?  What  is  the 2economic  impact  of  OSS?  What  are  the  issues  that  may  hinder  the optimal contribution of Open Source to the economy? How can we reach the full potential of Open Source?  What new business model are  working?  What  are  the  main  barriers?  Should  there  be  a  role for policy setting? What should public service do? 

Link to detailed agenda. 

Link to registration.