Europe rejects controversial software patents law

July 6, 2005

The European Parliament has largely rejected a controversial measure that would have basically legalized software patents in the European Union.

Today in fact, 648 out of the 729 members of the European Parliament voted to actually reject the proposal, so-called the Computer Implemented Inventions Directive or CIID, which would have broadened the extent to which computer software could be patented under current European laws.

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The Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure, or FFII, described the decision as a "great victory for those who have campaigned to ensure that European innovation and competitiveness is protected from monopolization of software functionalities and business methods."

While many software developers have spoken out against the directive from the start, large companies have lobbied in its favor, often via campaign groups such as the Business Software Alliance, CompTIA and the Campaign for Creativity.

These groups and the companies behind them, such as Microsoft and IBM, have put significant money and effort into arguing their cause.

The future of the directive is currently unclear. It is possible that a revised version could be debated in the future. But back in March, Charlie McCreevy, a member of the European Commission, said the Commission would not resubmit a new directive if the Parliament chose to reject the current version.

Source: C-Net News