EU Software Patentability Directive Reaches Turning Point

According to a June 20, 2005 report by EurActive, "The Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee adopted the draft directive on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions. Most of the major amendments proposed by the rapporteur, Michel Rocard, and other MEPs critical of the proposal were rejected."

The Financial Times calls Monday's vote "a turning point in the protracted battle over the law, which has split the software industry and sparked severe recriminations" while the Guardian calls the vote "patent absurdity."

The European Parliament will vote on whether to accept the report at its next session on July 4-7. The plenary has typically followed the committee's recommendations. However, "as majorities were quite tight on some key amendments in the committee vote, this may change," note the folks at EurActiv.com.