Softwarepatents. The EU Commission has put forward its proposal for a directive (Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and the the Council on the patentability of computer-implemented invention 20-02-2002). The proposal seeks to harmonize the legislation of EU Members states by allowing unlimited patenting of software and business processes. The proposal has once again spurred a heated debate on the usefulness and reversely harmfulness of such patents. The Danish anti-softwarepatents group has issued a provocative introduction (in Danish) on the problems associated with software patents (Kort intro til problemerne ved softwarepatenter 21-03-2002). Whatever one’s opinion on this issue might be – and my personal opinion is that software and business process patents under the current seriously flawed patenting system is highly problematic – it is very disturbing that the political process is so biased by the lobbying of big business with interests in unfettered patenting opportunities! The Danish eBusiness Association holds an open meeting to debate the issues on April 9. 2002. Read more about the meeting.
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