On Fri, 11 Mar 2005 17:39:22 +0000, Fergal Daly fergal@esatclear.ie wrote:
If it's not passed then software can continue to be patented on a country by country basis and with no threat of a clarifying directive undoing that, it's almost as good for big businesses. They just have the minor inconvenience of filing the same patent multiple times - no problem for the big patent machines and a huge problem for small companies. Plus McCreevy gets to blame the EP for the lack of a uniform patent system in Europe.
The matter is now in your hands, The Parliament can *reject* or *substantially amend* the proposal.
They could reject it and we would be left with what we currently have or they could *substantially amend* it. I think he's saying it's this or nothing but you can change it. The sentence about him understand the *new wind* I think means he realises that in it's current form it will be rejected. I think that they are going to put this through no matter what but they are realising that it won't happen till it gets changed and every agrees with the new text.
Rob
PS I hope this doesn't sound too naive.