The government of Belgium considers the source code of software solutions created for or by its public services to be public information that must be made available on request

Last summer, Belgium proposed changes to the European directive on open data and the re-use of public sector information (known as the PSI directive). The directive should explicitly include algorithms and computer programmes, Belgium suggested. The compromise, following discussions with other EU Member States, was to add this sentence to the introduction: “ Member States may extend the application of this Directive to computer programmes.” This version of the Directive – retitled the ‘Open Data Directive’ – has been in force since 16 July. All Member States will transpose the updated law into their national legislation.

Way to go Belgium!! Let's hope other countries' taxpayers are asking the same of their governments. Such code can be available for small businesses (or other governments) to be paid for value-adding and supporting that code, which ignites a local economy (and of course keeps the money onshore where taxes are paid).  France has already done something similar.

See #^https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/collection/open-source-observatory-osor/news/open-data-directive

#belgium #opensource #government

#^Open Data Directive | Joinup

The government of Belgium considers the source code of software solutions created for or by its public services to be public information that must be made available on request. The federal government now wants to discuss with the country’s regional governments how to accommodate such requests. “This requires a clear legal basis, as part of the ...

source https://gadgeteer.co.za/node/3393