Towards a European Framework for the Re‐use of Public Sector Information: a Long and Winding Road

Information owned by public sector bodies has, next to democratic importance, a considerable economic value for the industry in general and the information industry in particular. Since the 1980s, the European Commission has tried to stimulate the public sector to make its information available for re‐use. In June 2002, it finally presented a proposal for a directive on this subject. This article gives an overview of events and documents leading to this proposal and attempts to make an assessment of the proposal. It is updated until 1 February, 2003.