[Discussioni] [NEWS] TheRegister: PwC: software patents threat to Europe

[Alberto Cammozzo]

	Notizia da The Register [1]

<<By Lucy Sherriff
Published Wednesday 15th September 2004 10:32 GMT

Services and accountancy firm Price Waterhouse Coopers has formally 
identified software patenting as a threat to the growth and success 
of ICT in Europe.[...]>>

	Il Ministero dell'Economia Olandese  ha commissionato una ricerca 
	alla nota ditta di consulenze  PriceWaterhouseCoopers sull'ICT 
	europeo: "Rethinking the European ICT Agenda" [2]
	Nel rapporto, a una prima veloce lettura piuttosto prudente,
	tra l'altro si legge:

P 50:
<<A software patent, which serves to protect inventions of a non-technical 
nature, could kill the high innovation rate.[...]
Only very few European companies have prepared themselves for the consequences 
of a software patent regime. It raises the question how the introduction of 
the European software patent interacts with a European strategy based on 
widespread use of ICT's.>>

p.51:
<<Governments can influence developments by making use of its strength 
as a launching customer. For instance, by only buying products that 
have been developed using 'open standards'.>>

p.79:
<<The European software industry is relatively weak, with some exceptions 
(such as embedded software). There is a trend towards open source and open 
standards, creating opportunities for EU software industry. However some 
ICT-firms achieve monopolistic market power, resulting in lack of incentives 
for innovation, user choice and price competition. Also there is a slow 
process of establishing EU patent directive. Enforcement of IPR is costly 
and puts SME's at a disadvantage.>>

	Queste affermazioni mi paiono particolarmente significativa:
	- brevetti software possono uccidere l'innovazione
	- poche aziende saranno in grado di coesistere con leggi sui br.sw.
	- i governi possono influenzare lo sviluppo con politiche sugli 
	  standard aperti.
	- ci sono opportunita' per l'ICT europeo in open source/standards
	- il mercato monopolistico scoraggia l'innovazione
	- implementare leggi sull 'proprieta intellettuale' e' costoso 
	  e danneggia le PMI


	Un documento di cui tener conto come ulteriore riferimento nelle 
	prossime battaglie.
	Aspettiamo la risposta da parte dell'omologo ministero Irlandese...


		Alberto


[1] <http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/15/pwc_swpat_are_a_threat/>
[2] <http://www.ez.nl/dsc?c=getobject&s=obj&!sessionid=1CBTegM35UuYCWRV1zyOvofBaqyo3l50uZxzYXp5K38LdWziQW2wD1FEo9vhsUly&objectid=24583&!dsname=EZInternet&sitename=EZ-nl&loggetobject=true&isapidir=/gvisapi/>