There's been a lot of activity on EU software patents in recent days. Labour MEP Arlene McCarthy has convinced the European Parliament's Commission on Legal Affairs and the Internal Market (JURI) to go along with her proposals on software patents. Apparently McCarthy won a majority on all points, which one critic says means
- introduction of program claims
- refusal of interoperability privilege (ITRE 15)
- refusal of definition of "technical"
- what is new needn't be technical and what is technical needn't be new
- no need for a technical solution, only problem must be technical
- additional rationales for patentability (e.g. need to make money
from licensing in view of low-cost economies)