Being Open About Standards

Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner for Competition Policy

8/07/2008
(Original Publish Date: 6/10/2008)

Many standards bodies express a preference for non-proprietary standards. Nonproprietary standards avoid the need for license agreements and royalties. They avoid the need to ask permission if you want to use or develop the technology - follow-on innovation may be easier. They avoid subjecting the future development of the standard and the technology to the commercial interests of the technology's originator.