Eurostat Unit B3 – Statistical Information Technologies MSIS Eurostat's approach towards sharing statistical software

2 Three good reasons for the European Statistical System to care for OSS Publishing software developed in our IDABC project X- DIS ensures the long-term sustainability OSS is the ideal method for National Statistical Institutes to co-operate in the development of software Publishing software as OSS is advantageous for public administrations Eurostat Unit B3 – Statistical Information Technologies MSIS 2008

3 It is advantageous for public administrations to publish their software as OSS Minimal liability at a maximum of trust OSS enables non-discriminatory public procurement – no binding to a contractor even in the case of continuation of development Better packaging in documentation allows for easier take-over in the case of changes in the development team or contractor No (explicit or implicit) long-term commitment to further develop the software Eurostat Unit B3 – Statistical Information Technologies MSIS 2008

4 OSS action plan under X-DIS Extension of the existing ad hoc repository of raw data collection software under the CORD Task Force into a general CIRCA IG “OSS and Statistics” Building up a repository of links to all kinds of statistical OSS Decision to release Eurostat software as OSS (subject to a Commission decision), starting with applications developed under IDA and IDABC Inventory of products developed within the ESS for which release as OSS could be envisaged; Investigation of the willingness of Member States to release software as OSS; Establishing guidelines for packaging source code and making available documentation for developers and end users Eurostat Unit B3 – Statistical Information Technologies MSIS 2008

5 Already delivered Re-launch and continuous update of “OSS and Statistics” IG on CIRCA Guidelines for publishing software as OSS available 12 Eurostat applications investigated on their suitability to be published as OSS EUPL formally adopted by the Commission and applied to tools developed by Eurostat and financed by IDA and IDABC Survey of statistical OSS in the Member States Eurostat Unit B3 – Statistical Information Technologies MSIS 2008

6 A CIRCA Group on OSS Interest group “OSS and Statistics” Can be found under Read access is free - all information is public Contributions are welcome, contributors are asked to subscribe t the group Discussion forum (Newsgroup) open to all registered CIRCA users. Eurostat Unit B3 – Statistical Information Technologies MSIS 2008

7 Next Steps Obtaining a Commission Decision to publish software owned by Eurostat, but not developed under IDABC, under the EUPL. Continuous update of the CIRCA IG OSS and Statistics, including as well the results of the recently conducted survey and the migration to CIRCABC. Liaison between the CIRCA IG OSS and Statistics and the OSS repository of IDABC. Migration of the CIRCA IG OSS and Statistics to CIRCABC, which is the new version of CIRCA developed under the IDABC programme. Special Guidelines on how to produce software shared between Statistical Administrations: what are the general rules for shared software, and what are the special issues in the world of statistical administration Eurostat Unit B3 – Statistical Information Technologies MSIS 2008