There are some rumours [in German only, sorry] saying that the EU Council in its Agriculture and Fisheries Configuration will not adopt the Draft Directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions tomorrow. I have no clue whether or not there is any substance on such reports.
[UPDATE0] (2004-12-21) FFII e.V. reports that there are quarrels behind the scenes because of Ms. Künast, German Minister for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture, is member of the German party Bündnis90/Greens. Ms. Künast is said to have a certain more personal problem when officially representing the Federal Republic of Germany today in the EU Council because of as a member of the Greens she is strictly against the present text of the Draft Directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions to be formally adopted. In this situation, the rumours say that Ms. Künast intends to waive her protocolary position as head of the German Official delegation at the EU Council in favour of another high-ranked ministerial Official or Ambassador so that she herself can't be blamed to have rubber-stamped the so much disliked Draft Directive. All such rumours are, of course, unconfirmed yet.
[UPDATE1] (2004-12-21) Document 16107/04 comprising the list of "A" items to be approved by the EU Council today in fact does exhibit the Draft Directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions under item number 16. The subsection title is "Public deliberation items", whatever that means.
[UPDATE2] So, now (2004-12-21) I have been told of this Press Document suggesting that "Public deliberation item" indeed means that Journalists and general public can follow the debates/deliberations (close circuit TV distribution) at the EU Council's press centre in Brussels. (I think that it must be a somewhat boring procedure but, anyway, why don't they stream that on the Internet?)