With the recent changes made to Article 68 of the Codice dell'amministrazione digitale* by Law 134/2012 (approved by the Italian Parliament on August 7, 2012), every Italian public administration is formally obliged to choose open source software wherever possible.[this post - orinally posted on my blog on August 29, 2012 - has induced two further items:
- an updating blogpost posted on December 13, 2012
- a peer-reviewed article (co-author: Carlo Piana) published in March 2013 on International Free and Open Source Software Law Review]
Here is an English translation of the main part of the article:
Only when the comparative analysis of technical and economic aspects demonstrates the impossibility to adopt open source solutions or any other software solution already developed (at a lower price) within the public administration system, the acquisition of proprietary software products is allowed.Before this modification has become effective (August 12, 2012), Italian public administrations could select between 5 options:
a) develop a solution internally
b) reuse a solution developed internally
c) obtain a proprietary license of use
d) obtain an open source license
e) a combination of the above
Now the rule is that option c)
above is not allowed anymore by default: “free or open source software”
is an overriding option.b) reuse a solution developed internally
c) obtain a proprietary license of use
d) obtain an open source license
e) a combination of the above
Some issues are still not so clear, for instance time and manner for the implementation of this new principle (not a little point!). However it is a very nice goal and a good start for a truly open e-government system.
* it is the most important Italian act about e-government
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