On January 15th, 2013, the minister in charge of SMEs, innovation, and the digital economy, Fleur Pellerin, responded to a written question [4] by the member of parliament Jean-Jacques Candelier. The MP was asking, in particular, whether the minister "intend[ed] to commit, in har action, to promoting and defending the freedoms associated with [free software]." The question also mentioned the Free Software Pact, an initiative carried out by the Free Software advocacy association April, during the 2012 legislative campaigns.
In her response, Fleur Pellerin started by recalling the main advantages of Free Software. First, for individuals, since, with Free Software, "each can acquire knowledge" et "no one can be excluded from access to knowledge"; but also for the State, for which Free Software "constitutes an opportunity to be seized"; and for European industries, in particular because of the technological independance it enables.
If April welcomes her conclusion that "it is essential that the European legislative framework remain favorable to Free Software's strong growth" and to a good understanding of the stakes, it expects actions to follow declarations already preceded by Jean-Marc Ayrault's memorandum on the use of free software in administrations [5]. Indeed, the most crucial document for Free Software at the European level, the unitary patent [6], has shown instead the government's complete lack of concern with regards to these stakes [7].