Standards work brings together organisations that often compete. That is normal and legal — but it comes with ground rules. This note sets the boundary for anyone taking part in F-ACT: the conversation stays on the technical and governance merits of the standard, and never drifts into the things competitors are not allowed to agree on.
What participation looks like
Off the table — always
Open participation is the safeguard
The strongest protection against a standard being used to shut anyone out is that anyone willing to follow the rules can take part, the specification is free to implement under the royalty-free pledge, and conformance is a matter of public self-declaration in the registry — not a gate controlled by incumbents.
A note, not legal advice
This is a plain-language statement of the ground rules, not legal advice and not a complete account of competition law in any country. If you are unsure whether a discussion is heading somewhere it should not, stop and take it to your own counsel. The rules apply to every meeting, mailing list and channel connected with the standard.
The decision process these rules sit inside.