Europe shows little patience over patents (Financial Times) [LWN.net]

The Financial Times reports on the European software patent vote. "So what happens next? Last week's decision is only the first stage in a procedure that will see the legislation approved by EU member states, many of which would have preferred tougher rules and will seek to have the directive returned to the parliament for redrafting. But already there is speculation that Frits Bolkestein,the EU single market commissioner, may decide to take the matter out of the European parliament's hands." (Thanks to Thomas Hood).

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Europe shows little patience over patents (Financial Times)

Posted Sep 29, 2003 15:54 UTC (Mon) by sandy_pond (guest, #9734) [Link]

Seems obvious to me that intellectual property lawyers would try and spin the amendments as a "dishonest and destructive campaign designed to cause confusion". After all, preventing software patents threatens their livelihood. Think of all the money they'll miss out on when no one is negotiating patent licenses or suing each other over infringement. Look at what's happening in the US.

If they argue the old "innovation" theme I hope someone makes them prove this with hard facts. The truth is that software patents stifles innovation and competition. The only winners are the legal firms and large corporations who want to protect status quo in their markets. The losers are the consumers who are forced to provide huge profits to these large corporations. Corporations who want to sustain their markets by using legal and government intervention to stifle innovation and competition.

Perhaps the Commission should be encouraged to accept the amended proposal

Posted Sep 29, 2003 22:52 UTC (Mon) by dwalters (subscriber, #4207) [Link]

I wonder if we should be lobbying the Commission to accept the amended proposal AS IS (despite its imperfections) at this point.

With all the negative rhetoric, some of it coming from the Commissioners themselves, it seems to me that if the directive gets sent back to the European Parliament for further refinement, we risk losing everything.

Isn't it better to have an imperfect directive that pretty much outlaws software patents (and accept one or two minor contradictions in the wording of it), than have the parliament rescind the positive amendments (due to political pressure from Commissioners), or worse still, the Commission tears the whole thing up and starts again, and introduces Software Patent-friendly (FLOSS-unfriendly) legislation.

Perhaps the Commission should be encouraged to accept the amended proposal

Posted Sep 30, 2003 20:02 UTC (Tue) by jdthood (guest, #4157) [Link]

> it seems to me that if the directive gets sent back to the European
> Parliament for further refinement, we risk losing everything.

Why do you think that? The worst case scenario is that the directive
_doesn't_ get sent back to the EP but that the original Commission
version is endorsed by the Council of Ministers.

The document still needs revision. Do you not trust MEPs to hold
out against pressure and make further improvements?

Perhaps the Commission should be encouraged to accept the amended proposal

Posted Sep 30, 2003 21:04 UTC (Tue) by dwalters (subscriber, #4207) [Link]

I suppose I'm just a bit worried that the MEPs could get cold feet if/when the proposal gets sent back to them.

> Do you not trust MEPs to hold out against pressure and
> make further improvements?

I don't really know. I just hope they can be trusted.