EUROPE STRUGGLES TO REACH AGREEMENT ON PATENTS.

• Position: Brief Article

So great was the level of feeling among MEPs both supporting and opposing the proposed Directive on the patentability of software that they preferred to reject the legislation in its entirety rather than accept amendments. The European Commission noted the decision and announced that it would not be making any further proposals. Most of those who participated in the debate reacted positively to the rejection and said they were relieved.

Despite all the fuss, and after three years of debate, the status quo has been retained, leaving companies with the possibility of wading through 25 different systems covering the patentability of software. After 10 years of legal uncertainty, the European Commission wanted to make clear distinctions between what is and what is not patentable in the EU.

MEPs from the ALDE group took the opportunity to remind people of the urgency of defining an EU patent system, thereby making the European Patent Office's work more democratic: the aim is to establish a unique name for the protection of inventions which would be cheap and valid through out the EU. Unlike the scheme...