European software patent update [LWN.net]

European software patent update

Posted Jan 28, 2005 23:49 UTC (Fri) by wladek (guest, #1071)
Parent article: European software patent update

In fact we still have two possibilities: restart or to reopen the debate in Council followed by new voting. The latter could be better because restart takes more time to reasonable version of directive and IMHO good law is better than no law.

During last three months the only Poland acted against the Directive, both in Council and in Parliament - restart motion was joined initiative by Jerzy Buzek (former prime minister from christian democratic party) and Adam Gierek (from far-left Labour Union; he is a son of former gensek).

In last weeks parliaments of Austria, Belgium, Danemark, Germany, Holland, Italy, Latvija and Slovakia requested an effective actions against proposed directive from their governments. If you are from one of those countries please let know your goverment that lack of activity means no care about your own freedom and prosperity. Also citizens of Spain - the only european country which voted against the proposed version of directive in Council in May 2004 - should ask their government for more active efforts to request a new voting in council.

Also position of majority of Members of European Parliament is not decided yet. We still need to convince leaders of both biggest europarties: christian democrats and socialists. Both are divided internally and unable to act consistently during procedxural meetings. Same can be said about liberals from ALDE. Both Greens and nationalists from Union of European Nations are mostly against swpats for very different reasons but the leading parties are not eager to vote along with them.

Please write to MEPs from your country and make them aware that your support for them depends of their activity on this issue. We need public opinion in all european countries united and vocal about this issue - it is how the firm position of goverment of Poland was secured and sustained.

Even last week's open letter from Siemens and Nokia to our prime Minister with clear suggestions of economic sanctions against Poland was not only rejected by both government and public opinion but helped us by openly showing who, why and how fights for swpats.

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