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EU Software Patent Argument to Reopen?

Posted by Zonk on from the more-debate-is-good-for-the-soul dept.

pryonic writes "The Register is reporting that the EU software debate may be reopened by the Internal Markets Commissioner Charlie McCreevy. He has unveiled a public consultation on 'future action in patent policy to create an EU-wide patent system can take account of stakeholders needs.'" More from the article: "Both individuals and businesses are invited to contribute to the consultation which will run until 31 March. In launching the initiative McCreevy said that the European Commission wants to make the single market for patents 'a reality.' He urged individuals and businesses to give their views on how that could be achieved." Groklaw has commentary on this development as well.

7 of 164 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Surprise surprise. by tambo · · Score: 5, Informative
    Look at the two major supporters for software patents...Microsoft and Sun.

    You've forgotten about the biggest software patentee of them all. IBM's software patent practice just dwarfs those of Microsoft and Sun combined.

    - David Stein

    --
    Computer over. Virus = very yes.
  2. Charlie McCreevy by easter1916 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Background: McCreevy was previously Finance Minister in the Irish Government, but fell out of favour with his patrons for his arrogant ways, annoying manner, utter highhandedness and complete inability to listen to his constituents. He's an ardent free-marketeer / economic liberal. He's an annoying man.

    1. Re:Charlie McCreevy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Indeed. He introduced a number of stealth taxes (bin/refuse charges and the like) and attempted to reintroduce charges for 3rd level (university) education despite his party's promise that no taxes would be increased.

      This little b*stard has been a pain in the arse since he took up politics.

    2. Re:Charlie McCreevy by easter1916 · · Score: 2, Informative

      McDowell? What an awful bollocks, couldn't agree more.

  3. Re:Could we get organised? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Check www.ffii.org.uk

    Regards

  4. Why the parliament rejected it massively in the fi by happyrabit · · Score: 2, Informative

    As 'everybody knows' :) there are different phases in the codecion procedure that is used to make new European laws. The parliament rejected the commission patent project a first time and emitted a bunch of amendments. BUT the commission neglected totally the amendments submitted by the parliament. So this negative second vote is a response to the total contempt with which the Parliament was treated by the Commission and the Council.

    Thus it does not really means that the majority of the parliament is totally against patenting, it just means they do not want the first proposal of the commission. So I do not think that the battle is over, but I did not expected the patent lobby where retaking the battle that fast.

    Let me also bring to attention that the rejection of an European law on patents did never meant that patenting would be forbidden by the member states, the rejection meant that there would be no European harmony in the patents law. So the 'against patent' war was not won, we needed a law prohibiting member states to patent software.

    --
    I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.
  5. Sun OPPOSES software patents by WebMink · · Score: 2, Informative

    The Register article has it wrong. As is very clearly documented Sun, together with Red Hat and others, lobbied against software patents in Europe, as I just documented in my blog. I know, because I was the person acting on Sun's behalf.