EU software patents directive vote

[Jama Poulsen <jama@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

FYI,

The European Parliament agenda for next Tuesday:

  http://www2.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade2?PUBREF=-//EP//TEXT+AGENDA+20030923+SIT+DOC+XML+V0//EN&LEVEL=2&NAV=S&LSTDOC=Y&L=EN

When the directive proposal "on the patentability of
computer-implemented inventions" will be put to a vote:

  http://www2.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade2?L=EN&OBJID=30318&LEVEL=3&MODE=SIP&NAV=X&LSTDOC=N

Especially interesting is the modification of Article 6, which was
put in on misstake by Arlene McCarthy and here guiding mob:

  Article 6 (deleted)

  Acts permitted under Directive 91/250/EEC on the legal protection of
  computer programs by copyright, in particular provisions thereof
  relating to decompilation and interoperability, or the provisions
  concerning semiconductor topographies or trade marks, shall not be
  affected through the protection granted by patents for inventions within
  the scope of this Directive.
      
  Justification

  See justification for the new Article 6a.
  Amendment 21

  Article 6 a (new)

  Article 6a

  The rights conferred by patents granted for inventions within the scope
  of this Directive shall be without prejudice to acts permitted by way of
  exception under Directive 91/250/EEC on the legal protection of computer
  programs by copyright, in particular the acts specified and described in
  the closed list set out in Articles 5(2) and (3) and 6 of Directive
  91/250/EEC.

Also, today there was an reasonably good article in the Volkskrant
from two D66 members, and it stated that the current directive should
be rejected since its scope is too broad. Unfortunately I can't find
on online version of this article.

The PvdA is still divided on their position as far as I can tell.
I've emailed with Michiel van Hulten and called his office, but
they don't want to take any standpoint yet (because the PSE is
very divided internally on this issue). The PSE members vote
seems to be the largest uncertainty factor.

Lets hope 2 million SME's will be able to convince some of those
European Socialists:

  http://swpat.ffii.org/papers/eubsa-swpat0202/ceapme0309/index.en.html

Jama Poulsen


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