[Kamikaze]

http://kwiki.ffii.org/Cons041213En

Some politicians are trying to have European software patentability be decided in a Fishery Council meeting. This is despite the parliament voting to exclude software patents.

Diplomats of the EU Council will decide on Tuesday and Wednesday whether the Council's Software Patent Agreement of May 2004 will be passed by the upcoming Fishery or Environment Council meetings, the last ones of this year.

Laura Creighton, software entrepreneur, venture capitalist and vice-president of FFII, comments:

"Before today it was possible for generous people to look charitably at this
text as an example of a tragic mistake, not malice. But not with this
last-minute maneuvering. Only the most committed opponent to the democratic
process would believe that the proper response to the widespread consensus
that there is something profoundly wrong with the Council's text, is to race
it through with an A-item approval the week before Christmas in a _Fisheries_
Council Meeting. The bad smell coming from Brussels has nothing to do with
the fish."

"The Dutch presidency seems to be avoiding conflicts by preparing an
explanatory document that explains as little as possible. They do not
explain which kinds of patent claims should be acceptable and which not,
which interests are served thereby and which not and why. They merely
point to the European Patent Office as the authority. One may wonder
whether this is the intention of a qualified majority. Also, the Dutch
presidency adds the TRIPs fallacy. They could just as well have added a
statement that the earth is flat."

"One group of amendments from the European Parliament is dismissed by the
Council with the simple justification that they "did not reflect
established practice". Let's hope for the Council's sake that the European
Parliament does not ever again get the idea that they can submit proposals
which actually change things."

[Night Hammer]

Fishery?

[kode]

the whole idea of software patents actually piss me off.

[Carl]

Originally posted by Night Hammer
Fishery?

[kode]

Originally posted by Carl

it's the EU we're talking about. they decide on standard bending on bananas.

[SadisticSid]

The only expertise the EU has is in making money disappear

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by kode


it's the EU we're talking about. they decide on standard bending on bananas.

They don't, actually.  I think it was the Sun that ran that story....

[kode]

Originally posted by aldo_14


They don't, actually.  I think it was the Sun that ran that story....

I said that to express how bureaucratic it is. which is a frigging lot. of course they have a fishery council. and of course software patents has to be decided on on such a meeting - if something is fishy, it's software patents.

[aldo_14]

Not deciding upon it; the Dutch are apparently using the meeting to force it through as an A-item (which is apparently one which is not discussed), whereas the Poles (in particular) won't support this and want to force it into being a discussed 'b-item'.... apparently there was a 15 December deadline for consultation or something, I think this is a back-handed attempt to circumvent that.

[kasperl]

Well, I apolagise for  the idiotic leadership.

[pyro-manic]

Heheh. No worries, (IIRC) the UK gets the presidency next year - nice little mess that'll cause.

"Now everybody, when George comes into the room, you kiss his boots like this....."