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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.

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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

Last update: 11/10/2017

Wiz-0202

Your program includes other components, covered by OSI-approved licences. You have modified the source code of these components or merged it with your own code. Your program can be considered as a...
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Last update: 11/10/2017

Wiz-0306

You have build your program as a derivative, based on existing open source software component, licensed to you under the GPLv3. In case of distribution, your program must be licensed by you under the...
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Last update: 11/10/2017

Wiz-0305

You have build your program as a derivative, based on existing open source software component, licensed to you under the GPLv2. In case of distribution, your program must be licensed by you under the...
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Last update: 11/10/2017

Wiz-0304

You have build your program as a derivative of existing open source software component, licensed to you under the EUPL. In case of distribution, your program must be licensed by you under the EUPL. In...
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Last update: 13/10/2017

Wiz-0303

You have received an existing open source software component, licensed under the MPL Your program, including the modified or un-modified component, can be licensed by you as a "binary executable"...
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Last update: 11/10/2017

Wiz-0302

You have received an existing open source software component, licensed under the LGPLv2 or LGPLv3 Your program, including the modified or un-modified component, can be licensed by you under any...
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Last update: 14/03/2018

Wiz-0301

You have received existing software components under the licence BSD, MIT, X11, Apache (or any other permissive licences) Your program, which may use, be linked or take over some code from the...
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Last update: 11/10/2017

Wiz-0201

You have combined / linked your own software with components received under an OSI-approved licence, without creative derivatives of these other components. Your program may be perceived as a single...
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Last update: 11/10/2017

Wiz-02

You have developed a program where components copyrighted by third parties where used or combined. The resulting application forms (from the end user point of view) a single program. Which situation...
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Last update: 05/07/2023

Wiz-0107

You prefer a licence that is purposely done for a worldwide propagation, and reflects the "free software philosophy"? The GPLv2 and (since 2007) the GPLv3 proposed by the Free Software Foundation (FSF...
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Last update: 05/07/2023

Wiz-0106

This corresponds to the European Union Public Licence (EUPL) The EUPL implements a common legal framework for open source licensing in Europe, with official value in 23 European languages. The current...
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Last update: 05/07/2023

Wiz-0105

You do not accept that your software could be "appropriated" by third parties: copies and derivatives must stay distributed to all under "free / open source" conditions. This is the concept of...
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Please fill this Contact Form (selecting "legal issue" in the Category field).

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