European Software Market Association(esoma)

The European Software Market Association (Esoma) is the voice of the independent IT firms, professionals, and consumers.

Founded in January 2007 by the FFII, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the removal of barriers to competition in IT and largely responsible for the rejection of the EU software patent directive in July 2005, Esoma promotes healthy practices on the software market through three main activities :

• conducting research on issues that affect the software industry, keeping track of important initiatives, events, and debates that affect IT policies ;
• preparing policies, together with its members and other organisations, to address these issues ;
• communicating and guiding decisions makers to implement its proposals ;

Esoma fills the gap for a European trade association speaking specifically for SME IT firms.

As a not-for-profit organisation, it is mostly funded from membership fees and donations.

Research

We're your eyes and ears. Brussels sees hundreds of directives, resolutions, events, and conferences each year. Many of these affect the IT industry. ESOMA monitors initiatives and events in Brussels and reports on these.

Policy

We provide the answers. ESOMA gives advices and produces proposals that guide and help policy makers, especially in complex and sensitive areas such as patents, copyrights, and digital rights.

Action

We make things happen. ESOMA organizes conferences and projects, and works with the European Parliament, Commission, and Council to ensure that its members are properly represented.