This EUPL collection focuses on open licensing. It includes the European Union Public Licence, a Licensing Assistant, and guidance for IT developers, practitioners, and users to define the conditions for sharing and reusing software.
Discover the European Union Public Licence (EUPL) and its impact on open source licensing. Explore the evolution of free/open source software (F/OSS or FLOSS) legal frameworks—from early drafts to the latest EUPL versions—and how they support public administration and broader software freedom initiatives.
According to the Interoperable Europe Act (8.4) public sector portals of open source solutions and connected to the Interoperable Europe Portal shall allow for the use of the EUPL.
EUPL documentation & guidelines
Learn about the EUPL—explore guidelines, documents, and FAQs
Licensing Assistant
Learn how to select and compare open licenses using the Licensing Assistant
Online courses
Discover our eLearning courses about the EUPL and Open Licences
Discussion area
Join the conversation on the EUPL and open source licensing
Understanding the EUPL and Open Licensing
The European Union Public Licence (EUPL) is the first open-source licence with a working value in all EU official languages. It is reasonably "share-alike/reciprocal," like the LGPL, but also covers remote distribution.
Everyone in the world (and not Europeans only): IT developers, practitioners, and users who need guidance in defining the conditions under which a solution may be freely shared and reused, considering the legal framework.
Clear licensing rules form the regulatory basis for sharing and reusing software solutions while supporting legal interoperability. While the EUPL ensures these principles, other licences may also facilitate compatibility and interoperability.
By Decision C (2021) 8759, the EUPL is provided for European Commission distributed software.
According to the Interoperable Europe Act (8.4) all public sector portals providing open source solutions shall allow for the use of the EUPL.
Got questions about using the EUPL? Visit our FAQ for answers!
Latest updates
EUPL Guidelines
Reference to “Work or Software" in the EUPL
How far is the natural/agricultural production resilient?
Twente University - 4TU.Research Data
Luxembourg in the cloud
Portugal: AMA licenses under EUPL
Licensing Assistant (Select and compare open licences)
Documentation repository (Guidelines, Documents FAQs)
Portal Legal support (questions will be answered)
FAQ
Do you have any questions related to licensing or legal support?
Please fill this Contact Form (selecting "legal issue" in the Category field).