Campaigners urge ‘reboot’ for EU software patent

Europe’s governments have not reached an expected agreement on an EU software patent amid continuing concerns over the legislation’s impact on business.

The controversial rules – which critics argue could hit competition in Europe’s €1 billion software market – are now set for a battle in the European Parliament.

EU ministers had been set to give the 'Computer Implemented Inventions Directive' the nod at a Brussels meeting on Monday.

But the legislation failed to make it as an ‘A-point’ on the agenda of a council of agriculture ministers after continued opposition from Poland.

National capitals have failed to settle differences over the EU patent law amid lingering concerns that small or medium sized software firms could lose out.

Poland, with some support in Hungary, Latvia, and the Netherlands, has confirmed deadlock, raising the possibility that the EU may have to go back to the drawing board.

MEPs on the parliament’s legal affairs committee will meet next week to decide whether to restart the legislative process.

On a first reading MEPs tried to limit the impact of the EU patent on software by restricting its scope to computer-related inventions.

Anti-software-patent campaigners believe “there is a good chance that a majority of [MEPs] will vote for a restart”.

Campaign manager of NoSoftwarePatents.com Florian Müller is urging “an all-out offensive for the restart”.

“It is by far and away the best chance to prevent the legalisation of software patents in the EU,” he said.

“In fact, it may be our only realistic chance. This is the moment of truth.”

Campaigners have published a “restart lobbying guide” in a bid to pressure MEPs ahead of a decision on February 2 or 3.

Warsaw has blocked progress on the patent claiming that the rules will damage Polish business – fears that will surface when parliament debates the legislation again.

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