[Gllug] software patents

[Tethys]

Alain Williams writes:

>Tory - I didn't bother, they are for patents

The world is never black and white. I asked my local Conservate MEP,
Theresa Villiers, about her position and this was her reponse[1]:

> Many thanks for phoning my office earlier today regarding the issue of
> software patents. I would like to respond on behalf of the London team
> of Conservative candidates for the European Elections.
> 
> I have many concerns about the proposed new European patents law on   
> software and intellectual property. I am very concerned to ensure     
> that the European Commission's proposals on patents do not damage     
> innovation in the computer software industry. I believe that a        
> flourishing software sector is vital for success and prosperity in a  
> modern economy.                                                       
> 
> That is why I oppose software patents and have campaigned and voted
> against them. I fought hard against them in the European Parliament
> and will continue to campaign on this as the Commission's legislative
> proposal on patents goes through the Council of Ministers and comes
> back to the European Parliament for a second reading.
> 
> To be fair to the European Commission, I do not believe that they
> intended their proposal to lead to the creation of software patents.
> However, elements of their proposal could have had this effect and
> would, therefore, have damaged innovation in software development.
> 
> That is why I was one of the MEPs who tabled amendments to the
> Commission's proposal to remove any threat of software patenting. I
> signed amendments tabled by Finnish Conservative MEP, Mrs Piia-Noora
> Kauppi, and worked to get others to sign and support them too. We
> worked with the open-source movement to try to find a sensible
> solution to the various concerns expressed.
> 
> We were delighted when a significant number of key amendments were
> adopted by the plenary session of the European Parliament to remove
> those parts of the Commission proposal which would have amounted to
> software patenting.
> 
> I gather from Mrs Kauppi that she received special thank and
> commendation from the open source movement, including the inventor of
> Linux, for the work that she and I and our coalition of MEPs did on
> this issue.
> 
> I am sorry that the Council of Ministers has so far refused to accept
> the view of the only elected EU institution. I will do all I can to
> ensure that this decision is reversed and that we continue to see
> healthy innovation and development in the software industry.
> 
> Thank you once again for getting in touch with me about this important
> issue. If I can be of further assistance on this or any other matters,
> please do not hesitate to contact me again.
> 
> Best regards
> 
> Theresa
> 
> Theresa Villiers MEP Conservative Member of the European Parliament
> for the London region

Is that enough for me to vote for them? Don't know. She's still only one
voice, and as you've mentioned, the official Tory policy seems to be a
pro-patent one. But it does prove that you can find support even in the
most unliekly of places...

Tet

[1] Repoduced without her consent, but since she's stating how she
    stands on an issue directly related to her electability, I doubt
    she'll object :-)
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