On Monday 7 February at the Conference on Digital Sovereignty (see EUROPE 12885/6), France announced its willingness to create a European task force to propose an initiative on the ‘digital commons’.
The aim of this initiative would be to set out principles and rules to protect services such as Wikipedia, which are based on the valorisation of data and an open approach, thus constituting an alternative to the services offered by the major players in the technology sector.
In detail, this initiative is intended to identify the ‘digital commons’, promote their use, and establish a framework for the allocation of human and financial resources. This framework, the French Presidency of the EU Council said in a statement, could also take the form of participation - formal or informal - in the governance of these ‘digital commons’.
Some 16 Member States have already announced that they will take part in the task force. The aim, therefore, will be to present the conclusions reached - and concrete measures - at the Digital Assembly on 21 and 22 June.
The Member States involved in this task force will have to consider, among other things, the funding capacities that can be mobilised at EU level and the establishment of a European incubator for the ‘digital commons’, either virtual or hosted in a physical location.
In addition, these 16 Member States will also be asked to consider the creation of a structure - or means - to provide advice and assistance to Member States, in addition to funding for the ‘digital commons’. (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)