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Germany to Vote Against Software Patents in the EU

Posted by michael on from the just-say-no dept.

YKW writes "According to Ars Technica, Germany has decided to vote against all changes to current European patent laws. In a statement given to demonstrators in Germany, Federal Department of Justice Minsterial Director Elmar Hucko read the riot act to the EC: 'Under no circumstances do we want American procedures in Europe, Hucko vowed with regard to the US patent process. A patent must be "a fair reward for a bona fide invention and not abused as a strategy to bludgeon competitors.' With the largest EU member against software patents and French IT leaders lobbying their goverment to vote against them too, Europe might be saved from software patents. At least for a while. An older Slashdot article about software patents in Europe is here."

5 of 617 comments (clear)

  1. Patent This by Deaper · · Score: 5, Funny

    I still want to get a patent for the human reproductive proccess so that I can essentially control who can and can not reproduce. Gosh knows somebody needs to.

  2. heh by maelstrom · · Score: 3, Funny

    One gets the impression we could make the EU do anything we wanted with reverse psychology.

    "OH Bush likes it? Dirty Texans, we shall do the opposite."

    --
    The more you know, the less you understand.
  3. Dear Rest of the World by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    We own the patent on train wrecks and your post is infringing on that patent.

  4. Re:Foreign competitors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Why in Gods name would anyone want to clone Windows, its an unmitigated heap of rubbish?

    Please mod parent down offtopic. This is not the right place for KDE bashing.

  5. Re:strategy by sydb · · Score: 2, Funny

    But if the EU decides not to honour US patents, and GWB is appointed President for a second term, I see another cold war brewing.

    --
    Yours Sincerely, Michael.