According to the plan adopted by the German federal government’s IT Council, German federal agencies will be able to receive, read, send and edit ODF documents beginning no later than 2010. The action comes on the heels of the 5 July 2007 recommendation by the German Bundestag that the use of open document exchange formats should be implemented to promote competitiveness. To date, 16 national and 8 provincial governments have now formally recommended or required the use of ODF by government agencies and with the public.