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Tuesday, November 28, 2006

EU Task Force on ICT Competitiveness and Uptake: More Interoperability Needed to Boost the European ICT Industry's Competitiveness.

The European Commission's

Task Force on ICT competitiveness and uptake have published a report under the title

Fostering the Competitiveness of Europe's ICT Industry. It was announced in

a press release, stressing thatpatent costs need to be reduced. Moreover, given the diversity of IPR models in the ICT sector, according to the report, wide consultation should take place before changing EU legislation. Also, a demand is made to limit criminalisation for IPR infringement to wilful counterfeiting of trademarks, copyright infringement and design piracy. Promotion of the the adoption of the London Protocol is endorsed.

"[...] It is essential for fostering ICT investment and innovation that Europe maintains a balanced and effective regime of intellectual property protection that takes into account various business models in the ICT sector. Compared to other regions Europe already enjoys a reasonable IPR regime that is marked by high quality patents, which should be maintained. Nevertheless, Europe must improve the legal certainty and accessibility of its patent system for all players, including SMEs. Furthermore, the EU should continue and even increase its efforts against counterfeiting and piracy and reform the copyright levies system to enhance ICT uptake. [...]"

In the report, there apparently is no room for any wholesale anti-patent agitation like that fostered by FFII or other anti-patent activists.

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