EU Software Directive Vote Postponed Again until 2005

According to a December 8, 2004 report from ZDNet UK, "Belgian minister Marc Verwilghen told his parliament on Tuesday that the EU Council will postpone its decision on the Computer Implemented Inventions Directive until 2005. . . . In November, the Polish government withdrew its support for the software patent directive, whereas in May it had abstained, which had been interpreted by some as support for the directive. Later in November, an Austrian politician warned the Austrian Minister of Commerce and Industry that the draft directive on software patents could cause 'lasting damage' to small and medium-sized IT companies."