EU Software Patentability Directive "Now in the Parliament's Court"

According to a March 9, 2005 report from the European Parliament news service EuroParl, when asked by numerous MEPs how he was going to take into account all the criticisms of the proposed softweare patentability directive EU Commissioner McCreevy replied "the ball is now in the Parliament's court".

Some MEPs have accused the Commission of ignoring Parliament's
opinion. Criticism of the Commission's behaviour followed Mr arroso's rejection of the request for renewed consultation made last month by the EP Conference of Presidents under Rule 55 of Parliament's Rules of Procedures, which allows Parliament to demand a fresh look at any legislation following elections. The Commission President's response was that restarting the legislative procedure would create chaos but this argument was regarded as inadequate by MEPs.

In the common position it adopted on Monday - despite a unanimous request from the EP's political groups to withdraw it - the Competitiveness Council ignored most of Parliament's first-reading amendments. The European Parliament now has three to four months to adopt its second reading. To reject the text or to approve any amendments requires a majority of the EP's component Members (367 votes).