UK Prepares Own Version of the DMCA

philkerr writes "I've just been informed by the UK Patent Office, below, that the EUCD (European Union Copyright Directive, the equivalent EU legislation to the DMCA) consultation paper has been released. It's important that we give feedback to the UK government that this legislation will have a chilling effect on the software industry." NTK has a few choice words on the subject as well. We've done several articles on the EUCD before, and Alan Cox has been campaigning against it, but it appears that the fix is in: Europe is going to get DMCA-like laws implemented in each nation by the end of 2002.

Comments

UK Courts and Police

[T-Kir]

Well if it does become implemented, it'll take a while longer for the Police and Courts to catch on, especially in light of how they enforce the current RIP bill (Jack Straw's little ugly baby).

If I remember rightly, in Computer Weekly stories were coming through of how the Police would come into a company and virtually request 'the internet', them not knowing they were enforcing... giving a whole new meaning to "'ello 'ello 'ello, wot's goin on 'ere then?"

Time will tell I suppose.

We should support them

[Hamstaus]

If the EU is so eager to follow the laws of the US despite all the obvious flaws, then the US should give them some starter tips as a gesture of goodwill. Someone send them a fat guy to sue the fast food companies.

Re:chilling effect?

[Anonymous Coward]

Now that the chance of a nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan producing a nuclear winter is much reduced, I'm depending on the chilling effect from multiple DMCA's on every continent to counteract the greenhouse effect. That and running my central AC full blast with the windows open.