Switzerland mandates government agencies use open-source software
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The new law requires the use of open-source software and the publishing of new government code under open-source licenses

Switzerland has recently enacted a law requiring its government to use open-source software (OSS) and disclose the source code of any software developed by or for the public sector. According to ZDNet, this “public body, public code” approach makes government operations more transparent while increasing security and efficiency. Such a move would likely fail in the U.S. but is becoming increasingly common throughout Europe.

According to Switzerland’s new “Federal Law on the Use of Electronic Means for the Fulfillment of Government Tasks” (EMBAG), government agencies must use open-source software throughout the public sector.

The new law allows the codifies allowing Switzerland to release its software under OSS licenses. Not just that; it requires the source code be released that way “unless the rights of third parties or security-related reasons would exclude or restrict this.”

In addition to mandating the OSS code, EMBAG also requires Swiss government agencies to release non-personal and non-security-sensitive government data to the public. Calling this Open Government Data, this aspect of the new law contributes to a dual “open by default” approach that should allow for easier reuse of software and data while also making governance more transparent.

      • Hawke@lemmy.world
        1·
        4 months ago

        I think it would mostly apply to software other than operating systems, really.

        Weird custom one-off databases that only a government would need, mostly.

        The “third party rights” is a loophole you could drive a truck through, if you wanted to circumvent this law.

    • jsomae
      11·
      4 months ago

      commenter is talking about operating systems. You realize there are other comments here too, right?

      • Hawke@lemmy.world
        2·
        4 months ago

        Yeah but it’s written like operating systems are thought of as something “written by/for” a government. That’s pretty rare, whereas other pieces of software are far more common.

        It’s also completely backwards: “the government will use only open source software” is the opposite direction from “software the government makes will be open sourced”