HADOPI, the French law about digital rights has some articles that may allow to facilitate interoperability of copy protection systems.  An editor may request to have access to the APIs and documentation of a copy protection system to implement interoperability.

This is what VideoLan, the editor of the famous open-source media player VLC, has just requested to HADOPI.  VLC wants to get access to AACS in order to be able to play BluRay discs. VLC does not yet support BluRay as it is not a licensee of AACS.

HADOPI has identified where the real problem is. The documentation and API are not sufficient because AACS requires also cryptographic keys delivered by the licensing authority.  And of course, as in any encryption-based system, keys are the most important asset.

Cette définition des « informations essentielles à l’interopérabilité » ne semble pas permettre d’obtenir, s’agissantd’une mesure technique de protection sous forme d’un algorithme de chiffrement, la communication des clefs de déchiffrement du contenu protégé (et plus généralement les secrets nécessaires), qui semblent n’appartenir ni à la documentation technique, ni aux interfaces de programmation.

Thus, on 6 February, HADOPI launched a public consultation to collect opinions on the topic.  Knowledgeable people may enlighten this institution before 26 February 2013.

… la Haute autorité propose aux personnes, disposant d’une expertise dans ce domaine, de lui soumettre tous les éléments qu’elles jugeraient utiles à sa réflexion, et notamment en répondant à la question de savoir si « la documentation technique et les interfaces de programmation » visés à l’article L. 331-32 intègrent les clefs de déchiffrement d’un contenu protégé et plus généralement les secrets nécessaires.

If you have read my book, then you know that I do not believe in open-source based DRM , at least for B2C.  There is no way tp protect properly the keys.  Thus, the decision of the HADOPI on this topic will be extremely important and scrutinized by the community.  We will follow up.