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EU Moves Toward Software Patents

Posted by michael on from the imperial-march-playing dept.

edooper writes "Apparently the patent discussion in Europe has taken a turn for the worse. According to the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure: 'This Wednesday, the Irish Presidency managed to secure a qualified majority for a counter-proposal to the software patents directive, with only a few countries - including Belgium and Germany - showing resistance. This proposal discards all limiting amendments from the European Parliament and reinstates the laxist provisions from the Commission, adding direct patentability of data structures and process descriptions as icing on the cake. In a remarkable sign of unity in times of imminent elections, members of the European Parliament from all political groups are condemning this blatant disrespect for democracy in Europe.' Read more: swpat.ffii.org."

3 of 322 comments (clear)

  1. not happy? Then SIGN THE PETITION! by acidvoid · · Score: 5, Informative

    Read how you can help here...

    http://swpat.ffii.org/group/todo/index.en.html

    Sign a petition here...

    http://petition.eurolinux.org/index_html?LANG=en

    When I signed the number of signatures was 322888, A MILLION ARE NEEDED!!!!

    Best Regards,

    #322889

    --
    NetNewsWire into Yojimbo!
  2. The battle is not yet won and not yet lost by AigariusDebian · · Score: 5, Informative

    It is long not over, people.

    On 17-18th of May, there will be a real vote by the Council of Ministers. If they vote against software patents - we win.
    If Council of Ministers votes for software patents then the bill will return to european Parlament for a re-discussion, which will be postproned to September due to elections.
    There we will have the chance to discuss this again, this time with a new European Parlament.

    Note: the previose EPclearly stated AGAINST software patents.

  3. Re:Cut the xenophobic crap... by AigariusDebian · · Score: 5, Informative

    He is wrong. It acctually is much more interesting.
    Both USPTO and the new directive violate the TRIPS and the Berne convention which both USA and EU signed.
    TRIPS article 12. says that software is to be considered a literary work.
    Berne convention clearly states that literary works are not patentable.

    The problem is that the European Council and the Irish Presidency claim that their proposition doesn't allow software patents, but that is such a pile of bullshit.