Apple litigation +++ EU funding for Free Software +++ YH4F +++ ZOOOM project
September is here, along with our newsletter. We have continued
advocating for a Free Software budget in Europe, following the European
Commission's decision to stop NGI funding, and we are intervening in
Apple's lawsuit against the European Commission. YH4F got a new sponsor
and its 2024 edition is in the final stage, and the ZOOOM project
ended.
Table of contents
Quote of the Month
“The lack of public funding for these important technologies
has a negative impact not only on free software, but on the entire
future of the internet."
FSFE statement about EC plans to cut
funding on Free Software projects in
Heise.de
Apple vs EU Commission: the FSFE intervenes to safeguard Free Software
The Free Software Foundation Europe is intervening in
litigation brought by Apple against the European Commission before the
Court of Justice of the European Union. Apple is seeking to avoid DMA
obligations related to its App Store and the interoperability of its
operating system. The FSFE aims to protect Free Software against
monopolistic corporate control.
European Commission needs to come up with
dedicated budget for Free Software solutions
After the recent news that funding for the Next Generation
Internet initiative would be
cut for the next phase of Horizon Europe, the European Commission has
expressed vague support for
Free Software. Unfortunately it is failing
to provide concrete examples on how to do so. This has highlighted the
fragility of funding for Software Freedom and the need for change in
the long-term.
Spread your concern about Free Software funding
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 long term
sustainable funding.
Donate now
YH4F countdown: Time for jury evaluation and new sponsor on board
The FSFE’s hacking competition for young Europeans successfully
concluded its six-month programming period on 30 June, with the
submission of the participants’ projects. Now, it's the jury's turn to
evaluate the work of the participants. We are also happy to announce a
new sponsor for the contest, OpenSSF.
Read more
Do you also want to contribute to this contest? We are looking for
more sponsors! For more information get in contact with us via email.
ZOOOM project: Toolkit and training materials
The FSFE finished its work with the European Commission funded ZOOOM
Initiative. The FSFE
produced research and educational materials on Free Software legal
issues, which contributed to a larger toolkit on Open
Software, Data,
and Hardware.
Although the
project has officially ended, the ZOOOM
toolkit and training materials can contribute to promote a
healthier ecosystem
where Free Software legal and licensing obligations are understood and
followed in various digital industries.
Get involved: Why do you support Free Software? Send us your quote
We are updating our testimonials from our diverse community about why
they support the FSFE and our mission. We would also love to hear from
you! Send us, by the end of September, a short quote and a picture. Find all the testimonies
here.
Conferences: check out the recordings from our talks
Did you miss #FrOSCon? Check out Johannes Näder's talk explaining
approaches for better Free Software procurement. [DE]
Our volunteer Berharnd Reiter gave his own personal views in a talk
encouraging voluntary payments for Free Software. [DE]
Last May Lucas Lasota and Niharika Singhal participated in DORS/CLUC in
Zagreb. Their talks were live-streamed and we have uploaded them in our
Peertube instance:
Contribute to our Newsletter
We would love to hear from you. If you have any thoughts, pictures, or
news to share, please send them to us at newsletter@fsfe.org. You can
also support us, contribute to our work, and join our community. We would like to thank
our community and all the volunteers, supporters, and donors who make
our work possible, with a special mention to our translators who make it
possible for you to read this newsletter in your mother tongue.
Your editor,
Ana
Support FSFE