[Ecommerce] EU Consultation on Community Patent

[Michelle Childs]

Sorry for x posting but this is an important issue

DG Internal Market launched a consultation yesterday (16th Jan) on
proposals for the EU Community Patent. Responses are due by 31 March.
While still undertaking an in depth review of its contents, the anti
software people are very worried that this could lead to the software
patent issue coming back again . My thanks to Florian Mueller for the
information below. Its very important that those who  are concerned, not
just about sofware patents but also the practice of the European Patent
office generally, respond to this consultation.  The fights not over!
Michelle

Link to Consultation:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/indprop/docs/patent/consult_en.pdf

There is a good article explaining the background here and lots of useful
links:
http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-151611-16&type=News

<SNIP> As Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy makes "one final
effort" to break the impasse on the EU community patent, campaigners warn
that the Commission's proposal could bring back software patents "through
the back door".



--
Michelle Childs -Head of European Affairs
Consumer Project on Technology in London
24, Highbury Crescent, London, N5 1RX,UK.
Tel:+44(0)207 226 6663 ex 252.
Mob:+44(0)790 386 4642. Fax: +44(0)207 354 0607
http://www.cptech.org

Consumer Project on Technology in Washington, DC
1621 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20009 USA .Tel.:
+1.202.332.2670,Fax: +1.202.332.2673

Consumer Project on Technology in Geneva
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Tel: +41 22 791 6727