James Delahunty
3 Feb 2005 6:30
The European Parliament's committee on Legal Affairs has voted for a restart of the legislative process of the directive on computer implemented inventions. Anti-patent campaigners are delighted with the result claiming it is a huge boost to their cause. Many campaigners are worried that the European Union will end up doing the same as the United States in granting patents on pure software inventions. Director of the No Software Patents movement, Florian Muller, is happy with the result but says the battle is still a long way from being over. "We have to keep pushing. In our case, for years to come," he said.
Now there either has to be a re-submit of the original proposal or a whole new proposal by the European Commission. Whichever it is will go to Parliament for a First Reading. The bill's new rapporteur, MEP Michel Rocard, will shepherd the new proposal through the process all over again. MEPs made several amendments at the original First Reading, considerably limiting the scope of the Commission's proposal. Later most of the MEP's changes were removed prompting accusations of undemocratic processes, and secret deals behind closed doors. The Council's version was informally adopted as the parliament's common position in May last year. Groups like FFII and No Software Patents have waged a campaign against the directive.
Source:
The Register