Italy: revised law makes open source default for the public sector

Last month the Italian Parliament approved an update to the country’s Digital Administration Code, making free and open source the default option for public sector organisations looking for new software solutions, Joinup reports. With effect from 12th August this year, Italy’s public sector bodies looking for new software solutions may either decide to develop their own solution, reuse an existing solution previously developed internally, use free and open source or combine any of these three options. The purchase of proprietary software licences is only allowed when a technical analysis shows that it is impossible for the public body to use open source or to reuse an existing solution.

Italian ICT lawyer Simone Aliprandi commented: “Open source is a strategic tool that can contribute to the growth of the country and to sustainable innovation”. Aliprandi also expects that open source will help reduce public spending.