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From: Jean-Michel POURE <jm@poure.com>
Reply-To: jm@poure.com
To: Brevets <patents@aful.org>
Subject: Retroactivity of the law
Date: Tue, 4 May 2004 15:23:45 +0200
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Dear all,

Would it be possible for a professor in law to discuss shortly the question=
 of=20
retroactivity of the law applied to the proposal of the European Commission?

Here is my point of view:

Because of the principle of "non-retroactivity", any modification in law on=
ly=20
applied to  future legal situations.

Under this principle, in the event of the European Commission imposing=20
unlimited patentability, it seems that all registered patents on software i=
n=20
Europe are void. By definition, only the future patents on software may hav=
e=20
legal power in front of a court.

On the converse, in case of a retroactive law, the European Union may be=20
liable for any large case involving a Eupean Company. Example :

In 2006, European company "X" has to pay 2 billion euros to American compan=
y=20
"Y" for a patent registrered in 2002. Can European company "X" ask the=20
European Union to pay the bill because the modification of the law was=20
retroactive?

Best regards,
Jean-Michel Pour=E9

