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  N. 16, Aug.-Sept. 2004 

News 
Strong voices added to the debate surrounding software patents
 
While the debate surrounding the patentability of software is still ongoing in Europe and around the world, more voices have recently risen against software patents, pointing out the dangers of the patentability of computer-implemented inventions for the public as well as for innovation.

Among others, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), which has already published a list of the ten so-called "most abusive American software and Internet-related patents", has recently participated in the filing of a "friend-of-the-court brief" with the US Court of appeals, arguing against ambiguous patent claims.

Furthermore, the European Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) temporarily closed its web site, choosing this as a way to protest against software patents.

Note that although this controversial issue is still under discussion at European level, the European Patent Office and some national Patent Offices have already granted patents for computer-implemented inventions.

 
  Links 
» Related EFF press release



» Free Information Infrastructure web site



» European Commission's web page on the codecision procedure on the European Commission's proposal for a Directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions


Related IPR-Helpdesk news item:

» "United States. The EFF will try to overturn the "ten most abusive American software and Internet-related patents" (6 July 2004)