The EGOVOS conference is a high-level international event covering the topic of free/open source software (commonly referred to as Libre Software in Europe), interoperability and open standards in the government sphere. Researchers and developers, local, regional, national and international users and stakeholders, as well as management experts and industry attended.
The conference provided an unrivalled open platform in which to debate and to exchange views on the viability of Libre Software in the design and implementation of affordable, scalable, secure eGovernment services.
EGOVOS has previously been held twice, both times in Washington, DC. The first conference (October 2002) was hosted by the World Bank and George Washington University's Cyber Security Policy & Research Institute (CSPRI). The second conference in March 2003 was organized by CSPRI and the Center of Open Source & Government.
This gathering, hosted by UNESCO at its Paris headquarters, marked the first time that EGOVOS was held outside of the United States. The lead organizers of the conference were MERIT/Infonomics at the University of Maastricht jointly with CSPRI and the Center of Open Source & Government. The conference was supported by other international organizations, including UNDP and the European Commission.
The conference provided a collegiate setting for presentation and discussion on innovative developments and usage of Open Source by public administrations. It provided an opportunity to highlight achievements and landmark national initiatives as well as a look forward to challenges and priorities for furthering the use of free software. The following thematic priorities were discussed:
* E government public services
* Transforming Public Administration with libre software
* Inclusion & Development
* Interoperability and open standards issues
* Value added free software/open source business models
* Security issues
* Education
* Research & Development models
Related Themes
* Patent, copyright, licences
* Libre software benefits for small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
* e-learning
* the GRID and libre software
* Regulation & legislation in eGovernment technology