Unter dem Motto “Was nun? Was tun!” lädt der Chaos Computer Club Dresden von Freitag, dem 20. September 2024, 16 Uhr, bis Sonntag (22. September, 18 Uhr) mittlerweile zum 20. Mal zu den Datenspuren in das Zentralwerk, Heidestraße 2, in Dresden ein.
Are you also worried and concerned about the European Commission decision to cut the funding for Free Software projects? Besides contacting European representatives you can also write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to make their readers aware of the importance of funding Free Software solutions with a long term sustainable funding.
As stated in our recent news, the European Commission has decided to cut the funding for Free Software in the Next Generation Internet Initiative (NGI) 2025 Horizon draft work programme. Since then, we have raised our voice about this issue. But we need your help to continue put pressure on the European Commission. Your pressure already helped! Let’s continue the efforts!
Since 2018, the European Commission has been supporting the Free Software ecosystem through the NGI initiative as part of Horizon Europe, the framework research program of the EU. This funding provided support and technical assistance to Free Software projects, that have turned out to be useful and a way to provide alternatives to proprietary applications. Funding is an important component in nurturing new Free Software technologies, and often makes the difference for whether a Free Software project is able to survive, succeed, or fall into abandonware. This is a particular problem because large parts of our infrastructure are based on these projects, as they guarantee the necessary independence and resilience. Cancelling funding means curtailing our own autonomy.
This decision to cut the funds has been taken from the European Commission in a non transparent and unclear way. This budget cut for Free Software Freedom by the European Commission is in explicit contrast to their digital strategy. A true open and digital independent Europe is possible only with a long term sustainable funding scheme for software freedom.
In a committed and community-driven reaction, the FSFE community reached out to the EU institutions and the Head of Unit of Next Generation Internet (DG CNECT) answered. However, the EC’s answer we received is vague and with no clear information on how Software Freedom will be supported by the European Union in the future. That is why we still ned your help!
It is important to keep the pressure high and your support is crucial in doing that. In order to make even more people aware of this situation, you can send a letter to your local newspaper explaining them what has happened until now and why the European Commission needs to come up with sustainable long-term funding for Software Freedom.
Here you can find a template to modify and to send to your preferred newspaper.
Dear [name],
I would like to draw attention to the recent news that the European Commission is stopping its funding for Free Software (also known as Open Source).
Although we do not notice, our daily devices are running using Free Software, guarantees the freedoms to use, study, share and improve the software by everyone. Thanks to these freedoms, it ensures that citizens, businesses and governments are not dependent on proprietary software solutions, which often come with significant costs and limitations. Free Software is at the core of our digital infrastructure and it strengthen local economies and foster innovation.
Despite its proven success, the European Commission has decided to stop supporting Free Software by cutting its funding for the Next Generation Internet initiative (NGI) for the next period of Horizon Europe. This goes against its own strategy to achieve a digital future that is open, fair and sustainable. So, being Free Software essential to reach this goal, why are our politicians only supporting it through nice wording and not with a proper budget? Hundreds of Free Software projects will struggle if the funding is not resumed and the internet of the future will look less open and accessible to everyone.
The European Commission should come up with a dedicated funding programme for Software Freedom, so that the Next Generation Internet the the European digital infrastructure is independent, sustainable and accessible to everyone.
Your name
If you should receive an answer or if you know that your letter has been published, please share it with us via email contact@fsfe.org.
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