The Digital Standards Organization was founded by open standards professionals in 2007 with the goal of promoting customer choice, vendor competition, and overall growth in the global digital economy through the understanding, development, and adoption of free and open digital standards.
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EU holds firm on "open standard", US firms go ballistic
After years of discussion, the EU has announced that it will not change its definition of "open standard" to accommodate the wishes of patent holders and legacy software firms. We look at some of the reactions and at the growing divergence between US and EU policies on technology. — Comments: 0 — by 
pieterh 1214988419|%O ago
South Africa will host XML workshop 17-20 June
Rob Weir, Steve Pepper and Patrick Durusau are expected. — Comments: 1 — by 
arebenti 1213015248|%O ago
UK petition on Hague Declaration
The UK Prime Minister's office has accepted an e-petition calling for the PM to adopt the Hague Declaration. Deadline for voting is 6 July. — Comments: 0 — by pieterh 1212589875|%O ago
Commission to MEP: We are able to accept and generate ODF
EU-Commissioner Siim Kallas answered to MEP Cappato (ALDE) that the Commission was able to accept and generate documents in ODF format. The Finn heads among other DGs the Directorate General Informatics of the European Commission which coordinates the Commission's IT infrastructure. — Comments: 0 — by arebenti 1212159727|%O ago
The IT Rights of Digistan
Josh Chalifour discussed the relationship of open standards and open source and acknowledges the new advocacy approach of the Digistan Hague Declaration. — Comments: 1 — by arebenti 1212150040|%O ago
South Africa appeals against ISO decision on OOXML
Steve Pepper reports that the South African national standards body, SABS, has appealed against the result of the OOXML DIS 29500 ballot in ISO. — Comments: 2 — by pieterh 1211542345|%O ago
Hague Declaration to be signed on 21 May in the Hague
The founders of the Digital Standards Organization, and others, will sign the Hague Declaration on 21 May 2008 in the Hague. The signing ceremony will be held in the Dutch Royal Library. — Comments: 0 — by pieterh 1210846862|%O ago
Open letter to standards professionals and activists
In an open letter published today, nineteen standards professionals and activists, founders of the Digital Standards Organization call on standards developers, supporters, and advocates to sign the Hague Declaration on open standards, and join in the building of a new not-for-profit worldwide grass roots organization "to defend and promote open standards". — Comments: 0 — by pieterh 1210661300|%O ago
"Proyecto Estándares Abiertos" joins Digistan as its chapter in Spanish
The "Estándares Abiertos" project (www.EstandaresAbiertos.org), originally the inspiration for the FFII's open standards work group, and the intellectual source of Digistan has decided by unanimous votes of its members to join Digistan as its Spanish chapter, covering Spain and Spanish-speaking Latin America. — Comments: 0 — by pieterh 1210660431|%O ago
KROS joins Digistan as Polish chapter
Polish organization KROS, the Coalition for Open Standards, has joined the growing international community that is building the Digital Standards Organization. — Comments: 0 — by pieterh 1210324123|%O ago
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» Sign the Hague Declaration
All signatures so far: 2563
Most recent signatures:
- Sonke Hardersen, Italy, 1216834068|%O ago
- Ruben Camilo, Portugal, 1216769095|%O ago
- Bruno Fontes, Portugal, 1216735134|%O ago
François Schreuer, Belgium: La démocratie sera aussi numérique ou ne sera pas.
Cristian Mastan, Romania: Only by acting today we can guarantee digital human rights for all in the future
Akshay Sulakhe, India: use free digital standards….Closed sources are responsible for the digital divide…
Rick Montgomery, United States: Open Standards, level playing field, equal access no monopolies on data
Andrew Adams, United Kingdom: I have long argued that open standards is the only way to preserve open society. This is an excellent development towards that goal.
Joost de Meij, Netherlands Antilles: Vrije standaarden!
Nahum Castro González, Mexico: Los estándares libres y abiertos promueven sociedades democraticas y participativas.
Landy DeField, United States: Without this basic freedom, creativity, ingenuity and essentially the natural process of worldwide intellectual growth will be bound, gagged and held hostage.
Arun Batchu, United States: Essential for fostering competition and for collaboration at the same time.
Supporter organizations
These supporter organizations have signed the Hague Declaration.
Get involved
» Join the public list (start here!)
» Join a Digistan workgroup.
» Join a regional chapter.
What is a Free and Open Standard?
A free and open standard is a published specification that is immune to vendor capture, at all stages in its life-cycle.
How does Digistan work?
We provide support for open standards-related workgroups including: promotion of free and open digital standards in e-government; development of new free and open digital standards; promotion of best practice for open standards groups; development of tools to help define and measure open standards.
Digistan related sites
- Press
- Policies
- Les Standards Numériques (French)
- Estándares Abiertos (Spanish)
- KROS, the Coalition for Open Standards (Polish)
- German Digistan Section