European Interoperability Framework

= European Interoperability Framework for pan-European eGovernment Services (EIF)

URL = http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/

Explanation of the Framework: http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/servlets/Doc?id=19528

Open Standards Definition

"This is what the European Interoperability Framework for pan-European eGovernment Services (EIF) has to say on the subject in its report:

To attain interoperability in the context of pan-European eGovernment services, guidance needs to focus on open standards. The following are the minimal characteristics that a specification and its attendant documents must have in order to be considered an open standard:

The standard is adopted and will be maintained by a not-for-profit organisation, and its ongoing development occurs on the basis of an open decision-making procedure available to all interested parties (consensus or majority decision etc.).

The standard has been published and the standard specification document is available either freely or at a nominal charge. It must be permissible to all to copy, distribute and use it for no fee or at a nominal fee

The intellectual property - i.e. patents possibly present - of (parts of) the standard is made irrevocably available on a royalty-free basis.

There are no constraints on the re-use of the standard." (http://www.computerworlduk.com/toolbox/open-source/blogs/index.cfm?blogid=14&entryid=989)