Software Patents: 648 against and 14 in favour
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Today, July 6th 2005, the disputed directive on software patents was rejected, making the Open Source supporters happy and disappointing the expectations of pro-lobby groups.
As the proposal, given by an agreement between the Council and the European Commission, was sent in second reading, it cannot be re-presented.
Anyway the Commission has already stated, that it doesn't want to make
a new one. The vote was considered as an example of European democracy,
by which they paid attention first of all to European people's mind,
not to the pressure of multinational companies.The directive, supported by big industries, which worked hard as a lobby, was expected to be a system of patents to protect the invention, which uses data processing programmes and the programmes themselves.
The supporters of "Open Source" softwares, as a thousand small and medium
concerns, wish patents were restricted to the inventions themselves, letting basic softwares without protection and at other users' disposal.
By this vote, it seems that the debate, which last months caused high levels of tension, drawed to an end. Actually this is only a victory, even if important, in the everyday fight, that small concerns and the developers contend with multinational companies. It is important to emphasize the great commitment of Open Source associations: small but many, so numerous to be listened to. That means the victory of David over Goliath again.
