The Creative Commons community has started the process to get to a new version of its core license suite in 2012. There's an open invitation for you to join the discussion and work to realize this new version of the CC license.

The goals for the CC 4.0 License are described as:

• Internationalization – further adapt the core suite of international licenses to operate globally, ensuring they are robust, enforceable and easily adopted worldwide;
• Interoperability – maximize interoperability between CC licenses and other licenses to reduce friction within the commons, promote standards and stem license proliferation;
• Long-lasting — anticipate new and changing adoption opportunities and legal challenges, allowing the new suite of licenses to endure for the foreseeable future;
• Data/PSI/Science/Education — recognize and address impediments to adoption of CC by governments as well as other important, publicly-minded institutions in these and other critical arenas; and
• Supporting Existing Adoption Models and Frameworks – remain mindful of and accommodate the needs of our existing community of adopters leveraging pre-4.0 licenses, including governments but also other important constituencies.

The proposed timeline foresees a first draft to be available in March, with the requirement gathering process taking place these coming months.

A key part of the process will be working to include sui generis data base rights such as they exist in the EU. Creative Commons licenses are copyright licenses, and data base rights are currently not explicitly covered although in their workings may well have impact on the effectiveness and working of CC licenses.

As Creative Commons licenses are being widely used by EU governments on data portals and in the distribution of government held information, this is versioning process is of importance to PSI re-use.