The Politics

The political struggle over software patents in the EU is intense. It's the power of money versus the power of the mind. Special interests in software patents stand against the public interest in competition and innovation.

Few legislative processes at the level of the EU had been followed with such a high level of interest as the that of the failed software patent directive. The public interest in EU and international patent politics is still very limited throughout Europe. That is demonstrated by the low voter turnout in the elections to the European Parliament. However, a very high percentage of the laws passed in the EU member states are actually just the national implementations of EU directives.

Recognising a general lack of information about the structure and the procedures of the EU and the European Patent Organisation, this website contains some basic information. So don't worry if you're presently unfamiliar with the way in which the EU makes law. To the extent that you need to know this in the context of software patents, you'll find plenty of information on this website.

Many people underestimate their ability to influence the political decisions, especially at the level of the EU. There actually are various ways of helping politicians take the right decision. We must understand that no politician can be an expert in every field. It is up to those who are potentially affected by a legislation to communicate their positions and their concerns while there still is the chance to have an influence. A good example of how the concerns of many convinced politicians to take the right decisions has been the rejection of the Software Patent Directive by the European Parliament.

Click here to read about the current legal situation of software patents in the EU