The software business is changing
Affordable global communications turned software from a rare substance into an essential commodity. The challenge is now: how to do business in this new world?
Forward-looking firms build services on top of commodity software. But some firms want software to remain costly. They see commoditisation as an attack on their business model.
How to break free the IT market ?
By developing healthy practices and appropriate rules :
- fair to the public : they must be made by elected lawmakers of democratic European Union ;
- fair to innovators : they must allow patents only where needed to spur innovation ;
- fair to all industries : they must adapt to the fast-growing diversity of technology and business ;
- fair to a free market : they must ensure that free competion basic principles are respected ;
- fair to small businesses : they must provide affordable, fast, narrow and predictable rights ;
- fair to open research : they must protect the independent creation of original works.
Esoma exists to make a difference
The European Software Market Association (Esoma) is the voice of independent IT firms, professionals and consumers.
Founded in January 2007 by the FFII, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the removal of barriers to competition in IT and largely responsible for the rejection of the EU software patent directive in July 2005, Esoma promotes healthy practices on the software market through three main activities :
- conducting research on issues that affect the software industry ;
- preparing policies, together with its members and other organisations, to address these issues ;
- communicating and guiding decision makers to implement its proposals.
Esoma brings together activists, donors, and businesses to achieve change at the European and national levels.
A not-for-profit organisation, Esoma is funded from membership fees, donations, and services.
Support us, we will support you
By becoming member of Esoma, you get access vital information on what is going on and how to react, and we represent you at the EU political level.
You can also choose to support one of our specific projects such as Digistan, the Digital Standards Organisation or Eupaco, the European Patent Conference. Esoma also provide consultancy services.
Contact us to discover how we can help your business to achieve its public policy goals.
Recent actions
Unitary Patent challenged at the Belgian Constitutional Court: ESOMA and iMatix has filed an appeal against the Unitary Patent ratification by Belgium at the Constitutional Court. Equality of languages, seperation of powers, and the irresponsability of the EPO in front of courts are vilolating the Belgian Constitution. A central patent court will become the single point of failure to validate software patents Europe-wide. Small Software companies cannot afford to go to court or pay damages. (02 Apr 2015 08:27)
Esoma position paper on EECMA proposal: Comments on the Commission proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and the Council establishing the European Electronic Communications Market Authority. Com(2007) 699 PDF(EN) – 2007/0249/COD, responsible ITRE (Del Castillo Vera Pilar) (29 Apr 2008 08:53)
Press Release OFE / ESOMA / FSFE : New petition calls for open standards in the European Parliament: Brussels, 6 March 2008 - The European Parliament still imposes that same specific software choice on both the European Union's citizens and its own MEPs. OFE, Esoma, and FSFE today launched a petition to call on the EP to use open standards so that all citizens can participate in the democratic process. (07 Mar 2008 09:40)
Esoma replies to Creative Content Online consultation: Following European Commission communication on Creative Content Online in the Single Market, Esoma publishes its position on the issue. (03 Mar 2008 14:49)
Esoma and OpenForum Europe together with Digistan: The Digital Standard Organization is born. See www.digistan.org. (28 Jan 2008 15:04)
Esoma in Africa and Latin America: During the campaign against Office Open XML, Esoma helped African and Latin American teams in their work to build a proper standard policy. (05 Oct 2007 11:49)
Events
21th May 2008 - Digistan workshop in The Hague: Esoma organises Digistan workshop for Digistan participants and members of the public with an interest in Digistan's work. (30 Apr 2008 09:16)
Fosdem 2008 - Esoma and iMatix co-organise the Free Beer Party: Brussels, Saturday 23 February 2008 from 9pm. See information and registration. (11 Feb 2008 13:03)
Esoma organises EUPACO-2 conference: Esoma organises the EUPACO-2 conference on 15 & 16 May 2007. Esoma offers special discounts for all Esoma members - contact us for more details. (10 Apr 2007 10:34)