Our Objectives

Our objectives are aimed at addressing the restrictive practices undertaken by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), ensuring serviceability is included as a key component of the Digital Agenda, promoting common standards for reuse and resale of equipment and software and achieving contract transparency to protect end users against unfair business practices.

The realisation of potential growth of our business is threatened through the restrictive processes and policies applied by OEMs in order to lock in end users. As part of the ongoing debate between Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Competition, OEMs validate these restrictive practices behind the shield of IPR, legitimising them in the minds of their end users and preventing the growth of an effective, competitive, European Secondary Market.

If these practices are left unchallenged, Europe will be characterised by an ICT environment devoid of innovation and effective competition that excludes local companies from providing local services. This will have broad and long term detrimental consequences for the EU from an economic, social and environmental standpoint.

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Free ICT Europe - Ownership

Ownership

Able to buy New and Used equipment from provider of choice. Able to choose for a third party service provider. No penalties or levies applied for Secondary Market products not sourced through OEM controlled channels. No effects on Warranty when a TPM is the service provider. Have clear contracts & insight in the Total Cost of Ownership for the whole (extended) lifecycle.

Free ICT Europe - Trade

Trade

Able to Trade in (Used) equipment, together with acquired licenses, activation codes and software that together form the asset. A possibility to identify if a certain part or machine is allowed and tradable on the EEA market.

Free ICT Europe - WEEE Re-use

WEEE Re-use

Reuse is the best way to recycle. The technical lifecycle in most cases goes way beyond the economic calculation. Extending the functional lifecycle is becoming higher on the agenda as this reduces e-waste and use of resources.

Free ICT Europe - Maintenance

Maintenance

Have access to patches & fixes for acquired equipment for free or reasonable pricing without bundling into contracts. Have access to all code of the acquired software/licenses; also password protected areas for extra diagnostics and adjustable settings. Availability of parts & Availability of diagnostic tools

Free ICT Europe - Software

Software

The software Secondary Market is emerging, the potential growth of this market is expected to be worth €90bn and an additional 100,000 European jobs.

Free ICT Europe - Green ICT

Green ICT

Sustainability in the ICT sector had a main focus on energy reduction. The second pillar of sustainability is Resources. Our contribution is important to the market as the secondary market has attractive solutions for planned obsolescence that help us to reduce the need for new equipment and their respective demand of natural resources.

Get Involved

Are you an ICT Secondary Market provider?
Then please join our alliance, as we need your help to raise our voice.

FIE has become a serious partner in Brussels, please join the alliance, so that we can continue to expand our reach and gain more attention representing businesses like yours.

Join

As a Foundation we are depending on the gifts we receive. Please consider to support us financially, your contribution is appreciated & needed!
Thank you in advance,

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