Status Update on the European Union Software Patent Directive Activity(1).

Mondaq Business Briefing, September, 2002 by Erwin J. Basinski

Originally published on 5 December, 2001

Article written by Erwin J Basinski2

As of this writing, it is still uncertain when the European Union, DG Internal Market may construct and publish a draft of the planned EU Software Patent Directive, and when such a Directive is likely to be considered by the Commissioners.

On 19 October 2000, the European Commission, DG Internal Market, launched a consultation on the subject, "The Patentability of computer-implemented inventions". The aim of the consultation was to seek the views of interested parties, the public at large and Member States in order to help the European Commission formulate a policy that strikes the right balance between promoting innovation through the possibility of obtaining patents for...