FT.COMreports that today the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament has voted on its recommendations to the plenum:
"[...] In a narrow and keenly awaited decision, the parliament's legal affairs committee threw out proposals for a sweeping overhaul of a controversial European Union proposal known as the software patents directive.
Most importantly, they voted down the overwhelming majority of amendments that would have made it more difficult for companies to win patent protection for software-related inventions.
The vote still has to be confirmed by the entire parliament in early July, although MEPs tend to follow the decision ofthe committee. EU member states would then have to give their approval for the draftlaw, though no-one expects national governments to put up resistance.
Mark MacGann, president of Eicta, an association of technology groups that support patents, said: “European industry is satisfied with the outcome of today's vote. We will now urge the entire parliament to follow suit. It is a pretty good result.”
Eicta's members include companies such as EADS, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, Philips, SAP, Siemens, Sony and Sun.
Monday's vote marks a turning point in the protracted battle over the law, which has split the software industry and sparked severe recriminations. [...]"
Let's wait and see what will happen on July 05, 2005, on the Plenum of the European Parliament.
FT.COM 