OpenDocument debate resumes in the Netherlands

While Microsoft's Office Open XML format slowly makes inroads towards acceptance as an international format, the Dutch government debates whether the software behind that format must also be open-source.

A Dutch news service is reporting this afternoon that Microsoft has issued formal objections against a junior economic affairs minister's proposal last September, which would mandate that the Netherlands government restrict itself to the use of open source software that specifically uses the OpenDocument Format.

The plan, introduced by Economic Affairs State Secretary Frank Heemskerk, would call for primary government agencies to begin supporting ODF-compliant open-source applications beginning next April, and to begin a full transition away from other software in January 2009. One reason, the plan states, is to reduce the government's reliance upon any one supplier.

Another goal of the plan, according to an Economics Ministry document (translated into English by Google, and then polished a bit) is to "promote a level playing field in the software market and further promote innovation in the economy through the use of open source software to stimulate choices that tend toward the equal access provided by open-source software."

A US press report this afternoon states the Dutch government is set to debate the measure tomorrow. However, that information was not corroborated by information from Dutch newspapers today, which suggest that the measure must still pass muster with that government's pro-competition authority, the NMa, which has yet to pass judgment on the plan.