In Switzerland they say: Public money, public code
- Switzerland adopted a pioneering federal law a few weeks ago (pioneering European legislation), the LMETA, translated into Basque by Loi fédérale sur l’utilisation de moyens électroniques pour l’exécution des autorités: Federal law on the use of electronic means in the exercise of the functions of the authorities. Among other issues, the law requires that public procedure software produced on behalf of the administration be open. Some experts have summarized it as follows: "Public money, public code."
The software developed by the administration itself or on behalf of another person is mentioned in the law the two categories. Except for the introduction of the third-party producer code or "security".
In particular, the following points of Article 9 of the Act should be highlighted:
- The federal authorities subject to this law will publish the source code of the software they develop or develop in the exercise of their functions, provided that the rights of third parties or the relevant safety reasons do not exclude or limit this possibility.
- Allow all people to use, develop and share such software without having to pay a license.
- Where possible and reasonable, internationally accepted licensing texts will be used.
- Federal authorities subject to this law may grant additional benefits, in particular for the integration, maintenance, security of information or assistance, provided that such benefits are provided for the exercise of the functions of the authorities and can be granted at a reasonable cost.
- For these additional benefits, a fee shall be paid to cover the costs. Derogations may be granted by the competent department for certain benefits, provided that they do not affect the private sector.
Attention to the last two points: the software is published openly, but the services can also be sold/charged by the administration in the implementation of these systems. Just as companies working with free software can do business selling services, in Switzerland they have taken the same approach to management.
