[Fsfe-uk] Software patent - any action?

[Chris Lale]

Hello.

I only recently found out about EU plans to legalise software patents in
Europe. I wrote to several MEPs . I was directed to this mailing list
from the Anglia LUG.  I received this information from the European 
Parliament UK Office:

> As far as the European Parliament is concerned, this proposal is
> currently being considered by the Legal Affairs Committee, with
> Arlene McCarthy, a UK MEP, as rappporteur.  The Committee expects to
> adopt her report on March 18th, 2003 and then it should go for its
> first reading in the European Parliament in the plenary session in
> Strasbourg in the week beginning April 7th, 2003 (these dates are
> provisional).

I thought of writing to Arlene McCarthy, but her report indicates that
she does not have much sympathy for free software.

Does anyone know what is happening between now and March 2003? Any
suggestions for what to do next? The only thing I could find on the Web
was the petition, but this seems to be out-of-date now.

Cheers,

Chris.

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|  ___   Chris Lale   <address@hidden>                  |
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