[Discussioni] [Fwd: Microsoft, a sponsor for the presidency of the EU?]

[Simo Sorce]

-----Forwarded Message-----

Subject: Microsoft, a sponsor for the presidency of the EU?
Date: Fri, 14 May 2004 17:03:55 +0200

============================================================================

            Microsoft, a sponsor for the presidency of the EU?

============================================================================

Brussels, 14th May.
For immediate release.

At the initiative of Olga Zrihen, Member of the European Parliament from the
Belgian PS, of the internet section of the French socialist party "TemPS
réels" and of the VOV, Virtueller Ortsverein, the German virtual section SPD,
a protest action will take place in front of  the  permanent representation of
Ireland to the European Union this Monday, 17 May 2004 at 1300 (Rue Froissart
89, 1040 Bruxelles), during which CD-ROM containing free software will be
distributed, notably to the Irish diplomats, as a signal of the existence of a
free european alternative to the monopoly of the American company, Microsoft.

The European draft legislation on software patents, crucial for the future of
the European information industry, after the first lecture of the European
Parliament, that substantially amended the initial proposition of commissioner
Bolkestein, is on the agenda of the "competitiveness" council of ministers of
the 17 of May. This proposal for a directive directly puts in confrontation
the material interests of the SMEs that comprise the bulk of the European
software industry to that of the big multinationals, such as the American
Microsoft.

Now we note that, Microsoft officially sponsors the Irish presidency of the
European Union .  According to Olga Zrihen, member of the European parliament
Belgian socialist party, "We have the right to question this situation: the
presidency of the EU, which is a central element of the European legislative
process, and is supposed to obey the democratic principles, accepts to be
sponsored by a private company whose economic interests are directly put into
cause by a legislative proposition on the agenda of the Council!
Furthermore, knowing that the "compromise" proposal emanating from the Irish
presidency rejects all of the European parliament's first lecture amendments,
which corresponds to the demands of Microsoft, there is a feeling of great
worry."

A press conference is to be held later at 1500 at the European parliament.  A
contribution of European socialists for the democratic control of the
information technologies will be presented by Olga Zrihen, member of the
European parliament in collaboration with Maurice Ronai, a national
delegate to information society's issues for the French socialist party,
Theirry Noisette, the secretary of the internet section of the French social
party " TemPS réels" and Anne Brand, a spokeswoman of VOV (Virtueller
Ortsverein, the virtual section of the German SPD).

Contact person: Antonio Gambini, parliamentary assistant of Olga Zrihen
MEP: (+32) (0)479.48.28.78

Olga ZRIHEN, Députée Européenne
Assistant Parlementaire: Antonio GAMBINI
Parlement Européen
Rue Wiertz
ASP12G108
Tel: 00 322 284 60 94
Fax: 00 322 284 94 51
B-1047 Bruxelles

============================================================================
-- 
Simo Sorce - simo.sorce a xsec.it
Xsec s.r.l. - http://www.xsec.it
via Garofalo, 39 - 20133 - Milano
mobile: +39 329 328 7702
tel. +39 02 2953 4143 - fax: +39 02 700 442 399