Software patents: there is little time left (2 weeks), it's time to act now

2005-06-18

Here is a message I just got from the FFII regarding the upcoming vote on software patents in the European Parliament.

If the Directive is adopted in second reading by the Parliament, it would mean a tremendous blow to the european IT SMEs (and probably also some of the major players too) as well as for free / open source software projects who will have to sustain in the near future vicious attacks from our american competitors (and probably some others).

It seems there is still a little hope left, so we'd better not lose the last chances we have to change to course of the european IT history. It's time to act now.

Here is the mail I received:

Dear Stefane Fermigier, CEO, Nuxeo,

1) The vote in the Second Reading on the software patent directive is in 11-13 work days, on 5-7 July.

2) Lobbying in Brussels is heavy, currently there is much pressure on MEPs by pro-software-patent companies. The pro-patent lobby has about 30 lobbyists more than we, mostly wearing the hat of SMEs.

3) Your action is needed, at http://noepatents.eu.org/ we maintain a list of what you can do as an SME and as an individual. Especially we advise to see your MEP soon and, if you can speak for an SME, to visit the Economic Majority conference 29 June Brussels http://www.economic-majority.com/konf050629/.

Please decide to come the conference early, so that a date with your MEP or with his/her assistant can be arranged in advance.

With kind regards,

Hartmut Pilch, Gérald Sédrati-Dinet, FFII