The European Thematic Network on Legal Aspects of Public Sector Information (LAPSI, coordinated by Politecnico, NEXA Research Center, Torino) is hosting its 2nd public conference in Bruxelles on January 23rd & 24th.
As the European Commission is presenting a proposal for a Directive amending the 2003 Directive on re-use of public sector information, the question is now about how to implement the proposed amendments in practice, with the purpose of enhancing innovation and genuine public access to open data. Since 2003, the technical and societal environment of public sector information has changed, while raising issues deserving an adapted legal framework, be it as regards IP rights, competition and the protection of private data and access to information. While the Commission representative addresses the EU “Open Data Strategy”, all the high level experts and academics gathered at the conference (Marco Ricolfi, Séverine Dusollier, Hanns Ullrich, Josef Drexl, Miram Bitton, Mireille van Eechoud…) seem to agree that the legal minefield might be difficult to avoid.
COMMUNIA’s Policy Paper on the Commission’s proposal of amendment to the PSI Directive is publicly presented at the conference on January 24th by Daniel Dietrich from the Open Knowledge Foundation. While COMMUNIA supports the need to amend the PSI Directive, and praises the widening of its scope to cultural heritage institutions (despite the amendments do not include all of them), the Association is suggesting several improvements to the proposed text, insisting on the fact that the Public Domain would deserve a more consistent policymaking at the European level.
