Controversial Patent Directive Rejected by EU Parliament - a Historic Vote

As reported on 6 July, 2005 by the EUobserver.com, the EU Parliament rejected a second reading of the controversial patent directive by an absolute majority. This vote is historic because, as noted in that article, this "is the first time the Parliament has rejected a piece of legislation by absolute majority in the second reading."

It is a sober lesson for the EU Commission, which widely ignored the suggestions made by the EU Parliament in redrafting the first reading of the directive, which had previously also been rejected by the EU Parliament, a directive which foolishly and in our opinion erroneously provided for software patents.

The EU Commission needs to understand that it is a political organization which - like any other democratic political institution - is accountabe in the last analysis to the people, and to no one else.

Circumscribed copyright protection for software code is logically supportable. Patent protection for software code is idiocy.

Our hats are off to the members of the European Union Parliament. Well Done !
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