Open Standards

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Definitions of the term "Open Standards" have some legal significance. Currently debates are going on about how this term should be defined. The claim that a "standard" is "open" implies fulfilment of more requirements in the context of the Internet than in the context of specialised technologies created by traditional industry consortia. One of the new and much-debated requirements is that an open standard must be unencumbered by patent royalties. This has been incorporated into a recent definition by the European Commission.

News & Chronology

• 2006-03-03 US W3c: Standards and Patents, WIPO Forum presentation

• 2005-09-15 UN WIPO officials confirmed that they currently do not promote open standards

• 2005-09-13 Fr World Appeal on the use of open standards

• 2005-02-18 EU The Register: BSA in open (standards) revolt

• 2004-11-26 EU NewBrainframes.org: EC Announces Defintion of "Open Standards": no patent royalties

Web ressources

• http://perens.com/OpenStandards/Definition.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_standard

• http://wiki.ael.be/index.php/open%20standards

• http://trends.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=04/11/19/148236&tid=138

• http://europa.eu.int/idabc/en/document/3439

Patents threatening Open Standards:

• http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-891852.html

• http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=1591

• http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2861528,00.html

• http://perens.com/Articles/OASIS.html

Discussion of licenses for eGovernment:

• http://www.carelink.se/files/doc_20041228101051.pdf

Other issues

• Open RAW - Petition for Open RAW forma

Quotes

[[http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/03/1374|0|RAPID&lg=EN;|2003-10-14 World Standard day]] Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen said:

"Open standards are important to help create interoperable and affordable solutions for everybody. They also promote competition by setting up a technical playing field that is level to all market players. This means lower costs for enterprises and, ultimately, the consumer."

"We need certain basic rules and regulations for the Information Society to yield all its benefits and we have to have a framework in place that protects enterprises and citizens, that fosters innovation and that avoids unnecessary technical barriers" said the Commissioner. He added: "Open standards are an ideal way to support such a framework." Indeed, European enterprises have been at the cutting edge of the digital era and helped create interoperable standards solutions in fields such as mobile communications and digital broadcasting."

Media

2004-11-26 EN Newbrainframes.org EC announces OpenStandards definition