[ EU / Open Standards / Interoperability ] ===================================================================== FFII: European standardisation reform lowers the bar =====================================================================
Brussels, 17 February 2012 -- The Consumer Committee (IMCO) within the European Parliament is considering an overhaul of the current standardisation system in Europe. The FFII presents a paper on the proposed recognition of ICT specifications from consortia. "They propose minimum rules against trade and antitrust abuses. It's hard to imagine up an awkward specification which would fail the test", explains FFII standard analyst André Rebentisch. The Commission proposal does not limit official recognition to 'open specifications' (royalty-free patent terms) but also makes consortial specifications under so called "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms" (FRAND) qualify. The Commission preserves the right to further amend the recognition criteria via "delegated acts". General concern - set out in the FFII paper - is that universal recognition undermines the existing evaluation schemes applied by public administrations and open standards laws in the member states. 'It's recognised by the EU, why evaluate it again?' The FFII recommends to raise the bar and limit the official recognition to "golden standards". ===================================================================== FFII analysis ===================================================================== http://press.ffii.org/Press%20releases/European%20Standardisation%20Reform%20lowers%20the%20bar?action=AttachFile&do=view&target=ICTRecognition_ffii.pdf ===================================================================== Links ===================================================================== European Standardisation 2011/0150(COD) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?id=591938 Permanent link to this press release: http://press.ffii.org/Press%20releases/European%20Standardisation%20Reform%20lowers%20the%20bar ===================================================================== Contact ===================================================================== André Rebentisch arebenti (at) ffii.org FFII Office Berlin Malmöer Str. 6 D-10439 Berlin Fon: +49-30-41722597 Fax Service: +49-721-509663769 Email: office (at) ffii.org http://www.ffii.org/ ===================================================================== About FFII ===================================================================== The FFII is a not-for-profit association active in twenty European countries, dedicated to the development of information goods for the public benefit, based on copyright, free competition, open standards. More than 1000 members, 3,500 companies and 100,000 supporters have entrusted the FFII to act as their voice in public policy questions concerning exclusion rights (intellectual property) in data processing. _______________________________________________ FFII Press Releases. (un)subscribe via https://lists.ffii.org/mailman/listinfo/news, or contact [email protected] for more information.
