European Union Public Licence (EUPL) Overview What is the EUPL? EUPL stands for European Union Public Licence. The first draft (v0.1) was released in June 2005 with a public debate organized by the European Commission. After consultations and revisions, version 1.0 was officially approved on January 9, 2007, in three languages. Subsequent decisions in 2008 and 2009 validated and clarified the licence in all official EU languages. The latest version, 1.2 (published May 18, 2017), updated compatibility and encourages sharing and reuse of public administration software. Why the EUPL? Originally created for the European Commission to distribute its own software, e.g., Circabc and Eusurvey. Unlike other F/OSS licences (GPL, BSD, OSL), no existing licence met the EU’s specific needs: Equal legal validity in all EU official languages. Terminology compliant with European intellectual property law. Precise limitations of liability/warranty valid across all EU Member States (unlike US-oriented licences). Objectives Promote wide distribution of European Institutions’ software under a Free/Open Source Licence aligned with European law. Written neutrally for potential broader use beyond European institutions. Prevents exclusive appropriation of software after third-party improvements (copyleft licence). Who May Use the EUPL? Primarily designed for public sector administrations (European or national). Open to anyone holding copyright to software. Intended as a common licensing tool to share software and knowledge across Europe. Not designed to compete with other licences but to provide interoperability. Compatibility with Other Licences Includes a unique compatibility clause listing compatible copyleft licences, including the GPL. Example with CIRCA software (originally under EUPL): Developers can merge CIRCA with GPL components and license the new derivative work under the GPL. CIRCA itself cannot be re-licensed under GPL. CIRCA can be integrated into existing GPL projects that remain under GPL. --- Note: This website is independent and not sponsored or endorsed by any EU institution. Created by Javier Casares under license EUPL 1.2. --- [Languages and Versions] The EUPL is available in multiple EU languages for versions 1.2 and 1.1, ensuring broad accessibility and legal consistency. More info & license versions