Red Hat and MySQL fight EU software patents

Pressure group argues that software is already protected by copyright

Robert Jaques, vnunet.com 20 Oct 2004

Red Hat and MySQL have today thrown their weight behind a campaign to prevent the introduction of software patents in the EU.

Launched today in 12 languages, www.NoSoftwarePatents.com argues that software is already protected by copyright law.

It sees no need for the EU Council proposal made in May of this year which reached a political agreement on a directive that it fears would establish a software patent regime similar to that of the US.

Under that legislation, the only major difference between the US and Europe would be how a patent application is presented, not what is patentable, the pressure group said.

The campaign is managed by Florian Müller of SWM Software-Marketing, and is supported by three corporate partners: 1&1, Red Hat and MySQL.

"Software patents are used for anti-competitive purposes, stifle innovation, and would cost the entire economy and society dearly," said Müller.

"On the bottom line, they create more injustice than justice. There is only a small group of people in the patent system who would benefit from them, and some large American corporations have ulterior motives."

Müller claimed that reputable organisations such as Deutsche Bank Research, PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Kiel Institute for World Economics have already warned of the negative implications of software patents to Europe.

"We call on everyone, especially website operators, to support this campaign. We are now in the decisive stage of the legislative process," he said.

The EU Council was widely expected to formally adopt the legislative proposal last month and to refer the matter back to the European Parliament, but the Council postponed the decision and could still alter course.

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