IDG news service: EU headed for limited software patent law

[Carsten Svaneborg <svanebor@mpip-mainz.mpg.de>]

Hi!

EU headed for limited software patent law
By Paul Meller, IDG News Service June 18, 2003

http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/06/18/EU%20headed%20for%20limited%20software%20patent%20law%20(IDGNS)_1.html


Excerpt:
The European Parliament is likely to support a law that permits software
patents but limits their application to inventions that have a technical
effect outside of just a computer program. A program could only be patented
if it runs in conjunction with some sort of device such as an intelligent
household appliance or a mobile phone.

:

The proposed directive steers a course midway between these two extreme 
views, 
and has won the support of organizations such as the Business Software 
Alliance (BSA), which represents firms including Microsoft and Apple.

"We support the move towards a harmonized European approach to software 
patents," said Francisco Mingorance, director of public policy, Europe for 
the BSA, adding that the BSA doesn't want a U.S.-style system. "We agree that 
technical effects should be a condition of patentability," he said. 

-- 
  Mvh. Carsten Svaneborg