# EUPL license distilled

As a potential consumer of our work, you deserve full transparency of how EUPL works and whether it is an option to consume our work in your codebase. We have chosen EUPL, because we want to protect ourselves ([see our IPR approach](https://hackmd.io/@hcf/H1Og-0yUj)) from exclusive appropriation.

**TL;DR**: you can consume our work within your codebase, no matter whether it is licensed under one of OSS options or is proprietary.

## EUPL crucial characteristics in terms of software reusability

- It is compatible and business friendly, for reusing the code in a great number of other projects even licensed differently[2];
- it is not viral: according to the provision of European Law (Directive EC 2009/24 recitals 10 & 15), the consumer can utilize static and dynamic linking with other programs without barriers or conditions.[2][3]
- It is "copyleft" for protecting the covered work from exclusive appropriation[1];
- It is downstream compatible with the most relevant other reciprocal licenses (including the most intensively used, the General Public License or GPL). Its unique compatibility provisions create a new category of F/OSS license: “Copyleft compatible” (others are: “Strong copyleft,” “Weak copyleft,” and “Without copyleft”)[1][2]

## Contributions

- Your contributions are more than welcome.
- You have no additional obligations contributing to the codebase hosted with EUPL, just as the codebase with any other F/OSS license.
- All your contributions to any repository hosted with EUPL will be as EUPL.
- GitHub THCLab namespace is hosted under The Human Colossus Foundation. Therefore the Licensor registered office is outside European Union (Switzerland) and will be governed by Belgian law, as stated in point 15 of the EUPL license.

\[1\]: https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/collection/eupl/solution/eupl-freeopen-source-software-licence-european-union/about
\[2\]: https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/collection/eupl/news/understanding-eupl-v12
\[3\]: https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/collection/eupl/news/why-eupl-not-viral-l