French parliament legislates free software priority

For the first time in France, the priority of free software is prescribed at the level of the law. This is a good example for other countries.

Yesterday, the French Parliament adopted the Law on Higher Education ( text ), Article 9 of which requires the inclusion of the following phrase in the Education Code:

“Public institutions of higher education provide users with digital services and educational resources. Free software is used first. ”
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The law must be signed by the president, after which it will enter into force.

“The priority of free software in public institutions of higher education is the first step. - says Lionel Allorzh (Lionel Allorge), president of the non-profit organization April to promote open source software in France. “I hope that it will be followed by the creation of a real state policy in favor of free software.”

A similar rule was introduced in the law on secondary education, but, unfortunately, was rejected by the Minister of Education, who said it was impossible to give priority to free software because of "legal difficulties". After that, the organization April sent to Parliament an analysis of legal force (pdf) of the norm on the transfer of priority to proprietary software to free software.

“During the discussion of the school reform law, government members and deputies apparently were manipulated by the lobby, who said that giving priority to free software is legally impossible. We welcome the positive step of the government and the parliament, which have returned to value the public interest more than the private interests of several companies. Free software ensures that everyone has access to information and that students are not simply consumers of digital products, ”said Jeanne Tadeusz, public relations specialist for April.

“Free software is the digital embodiment of the motto of the French Republic“ Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood ”, allowing everyone to get information and knowledge. That's why it is so important to integrate free software into our education system as a priority tool, ”added Frederick Couchet, executive director, April.