Software Patent Agreement Adopted By European Commission

The European Commission today sold out the European software industry and proved how easy it is for big software companies to purchase politicians. Despite the fact that the European Parliament had requested that the software patents agreement be reconsidered, the European Commission bowed to their paymasters in the large “software” companies such as Microsoft and adopted the Software Patents Agreement against the wishes of the people of Europe and their elected representatives.

The draft bill will have to go before the European Parliament and it is unlikely to approve of the anti-democratic activities of the European Commission. While some proponents of the Software Patent Agreement claim that European software patents would protect the investment of companies in developing software, the reality is that the prospect of a discredited US-style software patents system in Europe is disturbing many developers in Europe. The discredited US Patents system allows for patents of the most obvious and pre-existing things to be applied for. While many of these patents would be considered ridiculous by any right thinking person, the aspect that many European developers and companies are worried about is that large companies like Microsoft would use software patents to beat down competition from more inventive and creative companies. The effect on Ireland’s growing software industry of a European software patents system is difficult to assess.

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Written by John McCormac on March 7th, 2005 with comments disabled.
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