[ffii] Lehne calls for rejection, McCreevy reiterates threats

[PILCH Hartmut]

PRESS RELEASE FFII -- [ Europe / economy / law ]

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Patent lobby MEPs calling for rejection of the directive
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Brussels, 5 July 2005 - At a press conference this morning at 9:00,
the coordinator of the European People's Party group in the Legal
Affairs Committee explained that he is putting together a majority of
MEPs who will vote for a rejection of the Council's "Common Position"
right at the beginning of tomorrow's vote, even before any amendments
are voted on.  Lehne also explained that there is no longer a majority
in the Council for the "Common Position".

The announcement comes at a time where similar calls have been
launched by the large companies with big patent departments and big
lobbying budgets who have, during the last months, been the main
supporters in Lehne's campaign in favor of the "Common Position".

Other patent lobby MEPs, such as the Liberal group's legal affairs
spokesman Toine Manders from the Netherlands, have also started to
call for rejection of the Directive.

Manders explains his motives as follows: "A chaos is threatening
... in Strasbourg. Because of the large number of amendments, the
directive could shoot in all kinds of directions like a firecracker
and we want to prevent this."

Lehne called for withdrawal of the directive already in February,
giving as a reason that the Parliament was unlikely to agree to a
favorable (pro-patent) directive at this stage.

The move by Manders and Lehne is coming at a time where a majority of
367 votes for 21 cross-party amendments is in sight.  These amendments
have garnered support from large groups of MEPs in the camp of Lehne
and Manders, alongside with nearly total support among all other
parties.

The Parliament now still has the chance to vote for a coherent
counter-position to the Council and Commission.  CEA-PME (including
FFII) has called on MEPs to vote for the 21 cross-party amendments, so
as to form a coherent counter-position, and to reject only if these
amendments fail to receive the needed support by 367 votes.  If the
Parliament succedes in forming a coherent counter-position, the
Council or the Commission are still free to withdraw the directive.
Commissioner McCreevy has today once more demonstrated that he is more
than willing to do this.

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Background information and further news
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* Transcriptions of today's speeches
  http://wiki.ffii.org/ParlTranscript050704En

* EUpolitix.com: Commissioner McCreevy accuses European SMEs of
  "anti-globalisation, anti-Americanism, anti-big business protests ...",
  repeats threats to withdraw the directive if it fails to impose the
  current practise of the European Patent Office.
  http://www.eupolitix.com/EN/News/200507/5d049d10-690a-4977-b116-4295c1a42937.htm

* Current practise of the European Patent Office
  http://swpat.ffii.org/patents/
  http://swpat.ffii.org/papers/eubsa-swpat0202/tech/

* Trilateral Project of 2000
  http://swpat.ffii.org/players/useujp/

* Lehne law office partner admits: directive intended to impose 
  US-style software patents
  http://wiki.ffii.org/Stoat050704En

* SAP user association against software patents
  (meanwhile a SAP developper Prof. Bernd Runge said on the radio that patents
   are helping criminal elements to prey on SAP and SAP needs
   protection from patents rather than by patents)
  http:Sapinfo050705En

* 2005-07-02 Toine Manders fears anti-patent vote and seeks rejection 
  http://wiki.ffii.org/Manders050702En

* 2005-02-03 Lehne fears anti-patent sentiment and seeks withdrawal
  http://www.epp-ed.org/Press/showpr.asp?PRControlDocTypeID=1&PRControlID=3295&PRContentID=6225LG=en

* 2005-07-01 2 large german associations turn from pro to against software patents
  http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/61326]

* 2005-06-28 German Entrepreneurs accuse Lehne, Wuermeling et al of
  fraudulent statements, of conflicts of interst, ask CDU to show
  clearly where they stand, complain of being ignored by pro-patent
  MEPs, who instead make claims about phantom SMEs wanting software
  patents.  In his speech today Lehne denied the charges.
  http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/61161
  http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/60988
  http://www.patentfrei.de/
  http://wiki.ffii.org/KlausHeinerLehneEn 

* Stay tuned to our news ticker
  http://wiki.ffii.org/SwpatcninoEn

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Contact information
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Hartmut Pilch and Holger Blasum (Munich Office)
info at ffii org
tel. +49-89-18979927

Erik Josefsson (Brussels Office)
erjos at ffii org
tel. +32-484-082063

Jonas Maebe
FFII BE
jmaebe at ffii org
tel. +32-485-369645

Rufus Pollock
FFII UK
rufus.pollock at ffii.org.uk
+44-1223-690423

Gérald Sédrati-Dinet
Vice President FFII
gibus at ffii.fr
+33-6-60-56-36-45