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Poland Blocks Software Patents in the EU
Several people wrote in with news bits about Poland maneuvering to block software patents in the EU. Patent supporters had planned to sneak in a patent vote at a meeting devoted to agriculture. While this is a temporary reprieve, it's very likely to reappear next year.
It seems that the EU forgot about Poland. :)
"The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved." -- John Ashcroft
Guess they're not as dumb as we thought.
Under capitalism man exploits man. Under communism it's the other way around.
Is it possible that honest politicians still exist? Mr. Wlodzimierz Marcinski, took it upon himself to travel to Brussels to make a speech to the Fisheries council and point out how ludicrous and undemocratic sneaking this unpopular legislation through without revisions was. He had no official standing in the EU itself, and was representing Poland as Minister of Science. The cynic in me is saying, "maybe he was just upset no one bribed him." But there is this strange new feeling I've never felt before (I'll call it optimism) that says maybe he was actually trying to help his countrymen and the EU as a whole. Well done Mr. Marcinski. My American brain will not be able to remember your name, but I'll strive to remember that "Honest Polish Politician" whenever I'm completely overwhelmed with despair after reading the news here in the U.S.
Otherwise, there might be another major war.
But since the Dutch love patents, the Germans
would have no problem squashing them.
I guess not too many Polish slashdotters out there... On a positive note, this is very good news.
Current majority in Polish parliament comes from social-democratic SLD-UP coalition, which (the SLD part) is just rebranded communist "unity" party, ruling Poland between (AFAIR) 1947-89. Rebranded twice, I must add -- it was PZPR during soviet era, later SdRP and now SLD. The cabinet formed by this party (Miller's cabinet) fell in 2004 due to numerous corruption scandals and accusations of connections with organised crime on both national and local level.
Current cabinet is headed by prof. Belka, which was Finance Minister at the beginning of Miller's cabinet but left the cabinet due to unrealistic too-far-left plans (Belka is economist educated in US with not-so-left-wining views of economy). It has no public or parliamentary support, it is rather a result of a stalemate between President and Parliament.
Thing is, that after the fall of Miller's cabinet, SLD-UP coalition had split and further SLD split into SLD and SdPL. Depending on point in time that polls were taken, no Party of former SLD-UP coalition would pass threshold in new parliamentary elections. So when new cabinet was proposed, neither Parliament's nor President's candidates passed vote of confidence. Next step according to constitution was that either Parliament would accept President's second proposition, or it would be automatically dissolved and new elections would be held (over a year ahead of schedule).
So basically:
With this situation everyone here is really surprised that this cabinet does anything effective and useful, and I was personally surprised that it showed a spine in Brussels.
Robert
PS Yes, I am from Poland and if I see some more Polish or "you forgot Poland" jokes references here, there's going to be some heavy flame
PPS If I mangled some facts, kill me, I don't pay much attention to this heap of excrements that Polish (or any post-communist country for that matter) politics is. But it seems that EU democracy doesn't start any better, ignoring democratic procedures etc...
Bastard Operator From 193.219.28.162
Here is the transcription of the speech. Also, there is a website which has an open letter to send greetings to the polish government: thankpoland.info
Merry Christmas Europe !!!! (pfiu!
You can sign a letter to thank the Polish government.
Under construction: swpat politics overview article
There is an article in one of polish most important newspapers, the Gazeta Wyborcza.
This article claims, that one of the forces behind Mr Marcinski's mission was polish ex-Prime Minister Professor Jerzy Buzek, currently in European Parliament.
Sadly, the same article informs us that probably Poland will accept the directive in January, under the presidency of Luxembourg. Polish diplomats are afraid that voting against the directive at this late stage would endanger polish interest in other fields, where Poland fears that other countries would act similarly, withdrawing already voiced approvals. Example of such field is the REACH package. Nonetheless Mr Jerzy Buzek and Mr Adam Gierek will try to make some amendments to the directive that would clarify that software is not patentable.
So, we won a battle, but war is probably lost anyway - we can only try to limit the scale of our defeat.
The link to the article [in Polish]
Unfortunately you don't have Polish->English option in babelfish.altavista.com
You can defy gravity... for a short time
I can still continue my Computer Science studies and keep my dreams about becoming an independent software entrepreneur. Otherwise I would have become a lawyer and started fighting against the corrupted system.
pl>en en>pl automated translation is avalaible on http://www.translate.pl/. However it's usually useless:
Government (row) has blocked directive in brussels about patent-issueing of computer software (programming) polish . Now will have time polish eurodeputowani, in order to correct her (it) according to postulates of polish firms and project of new directive admits programers in present tone opinion (sentence) lawyers capability of patent-issueing part tzw.algorytmów, or in software schemes of operations taken advantage. It has not has not proceeded for great computer concerns advantageous interpretation, which (who) will stand on expensive (precious) patent conclusions folding . In opinion of vice-minister of science and informatization Wodzimierza Marciskiego, general algorithms patenting if (or) elements of programs ( even if click put to icon mouse ), big programmatic firms will eliminate in state (condition) from market of smallest rival and independent programers or force big license charges from they. Professor of jerzy has has proceeded opinion (sentence) Buzka, FOR involved (become involved; engaged) to case of computer patent eurodeputowanego, billion zloty can enter to game in scale of year. Parliament will work have accept (catch on) to tuesday in this case (accidentally) directive the cabinet of ministers ministers of agriculture else ( exactly ) UE, without discussion, on base of political agreement from this may of year. Then it has supported directive polish , but spain imitate , belgium, austria and italy, which (who) was against (versus), they have not assembled (have not collect) minorities so called blocking. If then, there was also polish against (versus), it has not has not proceeded directive simply. As breakdown (fracture) would threaten poland in (to) other important for we about favor (services) case of (together of; time of) given word serious consequences problems ( directive, it put package chemical REACH etc. ), yesterday our representatives have asked dutchmen leading union, in order to they have delayed acceptance of directive. Dutchmen have agreed , though reluctantly here, so, they have lost one - on the spot of, they wanted to declare which (who) as progress of half-year government in union. Case will return in january during first already also rural - surely - the cabinet of ministers they lead luxembourg under - already. Then our diplomats will support directive, but they will affix letter (list) with explanations, we would like to perform that changes in spite of all else. Polish will combat for it lead in strasbourg under jerzy eurodeputowani Buzka and game adam ( ) UP. Yesterday it has encouraged in night of vice-minister of science professor Buzek and informatization Wodzimierza Marciskiego, in order to it has gone to brussels it personally and it has blocked unwanted acceptance by polish computer scientists of directives. It is consistent in poland - environment computer scientist it belongs to patent inventions built (created) with use of computer, because huge majority is in (to) such XXI century (age), but software not as such it translated in brussels journalists - Marciski. Meantime text of directive is not one-valued (unequivocal) - - what lawyer, opinions (sentences) so many (so much) . There is in interest (business) polish , in order to software (programming) was not opatentowane. We must make conditions of development (evolution) small and medium firms. So, it is necessary to correct directive. Patents and poles in parliament strive for it so wait, in order to treat directive in first reading again, though it has has proceeded by it (him) already. Wanted is qualified majority in (to) for contributing correction II reading, but not ordinary ( but big computer firms lead intensive lobbing in favor of most fast acceptance of directive without no changes already ). If it imitate corrections carry in parliament, then directive will be accepted after vacations 2005 like enough if not, then become (stay) surely and
This Is Not a Sig
There is also more coverage there. There are some very fine points explained in this article.
You can defy gravity... for a short time
Actually, the plan was not to sneak in a vote on the issue, but to have an approval without anybody really voting.
That is somewhat problematic from a logical point of view. How is the Council supposed to "approve" something without voting? This is somewhat surprising for people not familiar with the Council's Rules of Procedure. Basic values of democracy should require that votes are actually counted.
I have posted a couple of articles analyzing this mystery on my blog linked in the signature below.
Lenz Blog
http://thankpoland.info/
Mark
people here ? i found this and it would be great, if we could share this original text. rtsp:letdyndnstvpolandmov greetings marc