Beyond code: integrating open source with broader government objectives

At the EU level, we look at the concept of Digital Public Goods (DPGs) and how this is being considered in discussions from a supranational perspective, through projects such as the Next Generation Internet and the Euro Stack initiatives. DPGs include open source and open data as well as a set of quality standards. The qualities required in these standards are in many cases aligned with the needs of government bodies, which makes it easier for them to identify suitable open source solutions.

A comparison can be made with Japan, where the government's Information-Technology Promotion Agency (IPA) has recently published a report on "for the Formation of an Open Source Strategy". The report looks at the needs of the government, with a focus on economic development and IT sovereignty, and then examines how to move towards these objectives by strengthening the local ecosystem of open source service providers.

Turning to Lithuania, we can observe how the State Digital Solutions Agency is implementing the Once-Only Technical System (OOTS), which enables government bodies to share documents so that citizens don't have to submit the same documents to each agency separately. This is part of their implementation of the EU's Single Digital Gateway. When treating such data, it's important that the government retains control at all times, which is why an open source solution was the most obvious choice.

In Finland, the government developed its own IT system to run the graduation exam at the end of secondary school. They are releasing it as open source because the software was funded by public money, so it is considered reasonable to make the code available to the public. Also, transparency is important in order to demonstrate that nothing is being hidden from the users. The possibility of outsiders contributing code is also viewed as a positive aspect.

That leaves us with the Eurovision Song Contest. Its relevance has fluctuated over the years, and some take it more seriously than others, but it has existed since 1956. It has been around long enough for some to call it an institution.  Along the way, the organisers have developed open source solutions to power the contest, as open source collaboration makes organising the European cooperation required for a cross-country song contest easier.

The OSOR team would like to thank all participants for their active participation in the OSOR webinar “Exploring the role of OSPOs in transforming public services with open source” on 22 May. Already in a few weeks, on 30 June, the OSOR team is glad to provide the opportunity for more collaboration and learning during the OSOR workshop "Funding Open Source: Towards Sustainable Models".

We hope you have enjoyed this month's articles. Open source has been growing for 42 years, and a rich ecosystem has been created, with service providers and legal instruments and technical infrastructure. As government bodies consider the implications of their IT strategies, many recognise its importance in meeting their modern needs.

The OSOR Team