[Discussioni] Fwd: Software Patents Directive: associations call to demonstrate all over Europe

[Stefano Rosanelli]

C'e' una manifestazione a Bruxelles il 2 giugno contro i brevetti, in 
Italia c'e' qualcosa in programma?


----------  Messaggio inoltrato  ----------

Subject: Software Patents Directive: associations call to demonstrate 
all over Europe
Date: 14:51, lunedì 23 maggio 2005
From: Henrion Benjamin <bh a udev.org>
To: ......

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Software Patents Directive: associations call to demonstrate all over
 Europe

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PRESS RELEASE -- [ Europe / economy / ICT ]

Brussels, 22th May 2005.

The coming vote of the European Parliament will be decisive in whether
 software patents are introduced in Europe. Members of the European
 Parliament are currently visited every day by an army of professional
 lobbyists to convince them that software patents are a good thing for
 small enterprises and independant developers.

Patents on software will render development more risky, and will
 endanger every software programmer in Europe. It is important to raise
 your voice before it is too late. If the Parliament votes in favour of
 some amendments which allow software patent loopholes, they will
 endanger a majority of jobs of the European IT sector.

AEL.be and Openstandaarden.be invites people who are concerned by the
 dangers of software patents to demonstrate on 2nd June in Brussels and
 in some other European cities, and as well on the Internet [1]. It is
 important to raise the awareness of Members of the European Parliament
 that giving a 20 year monopoly on software ideas is the worst thing
 they can do.

Alexandre Dulaunoy comments: "Software and computer programs have
 always been subject to copyright law as they are a form of writing.
 Introducing software patents will be in conflict with well-established
 and proven author's rights. Software patents will allow patent
 monopolies to limit innovation within Europe's knowledge based
 economy. A free society is closely linked to the ability to create and
 build a free market. As we want to keep a free society, we are firmly
 opposed to software patents."

Mark Vandenborre, from Openstandaarden mentions: "We hope for a
 mobilisation from all over Europe, so that the pro-patent lobby won't
 succeed in their disinformation campaign. The lobbying of big
 corporations in the European Parliament is very intensive, and they
 try to create an illusion that patents are good for small players
 [2]."

One year ago, the 18th May 2004, Mr Bolkestein and the Irish presidency
 reached an agreement on a text which will legalise patents on every
 software idea.

On the 7th March 2005, the Luxembourg presidency ignored their own
 rules of procedure to get the directive formally approved, against the
 will of 3 countries who wanted to reopen negotiations.

The European Parliament will vote on the Directive on the 6th July.

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More infos

[1] http://noepatents.eu.org

[2] http://wiki.ffii.org/EictaSme050425En

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Contacts

    * Mark Van Den Borre <mark a markvdb.be> (Openstandaarden.be) (Langs:
 NL/FR) +32 486 961726
    * Benjamin Henrion <bh a udev.org> (AEL.be) (Langs:FR/EN) +32 498
 292771

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Supporters

This campaign is supported by several associations listed here:

http://wiki.noepatents.eu.org/index.php/All_Supporters

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About AEL

The Association Electronique Libre is a Belgian association protecting
fundamental rights in the information society.

AEL supports freedoms of speech, press and association on the Internet
 or any electronic medium, the right to use encryption software for
 private communication, the right to create software unimpeded by
 private monopolies, the right to access and preserve public domain and
 free digital information.

About Openstandaarden

OpenStandaarden.be's mission is to promote the use of open standards in
 all digital communication. Our approach consists of building a
 constructive dialog with IT staff and decision makers. We want to
 create awareness about the importance of open standards, and convince
 them to effectively apply them. We are a group of independent
 volunteers, committed to offer our expertise in order to realise these
 goals.

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About this Press Release

EN: http://wiki.noepatents.eu.org/index.php/Press_ReleasesEn

FR: http://wiki.noepatents.eu.org/index.php/Press_ReleasesFr

NL: http://wiki.noepatents.eu.org/index.php/Press_ReleasesNl

DE: http://wiki.noepatents.eu.org/index.php/Press_ReleasesDe

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