Arlene McCarthy MEP
Labour, North West Region
PRESS RELEASE
Parliament backs tighter limits on patents to provide protection, innovation and competition for EU industry
MEPs today backed controversial new rules on patenting software that drives electronic devices - an issues that has aroused the interest of big manufacturers and computer groups.
Speaking after the vote, Labour MEP Arlene McCarthy who wrote the Parliament's report and is steering it through the Parliament said,
"This all comes down to making inventions implemented on machines work better. We are talking about the type of innovative software that makes the airbag in your car trigger in a crash or makes your hoover 'smart' so the suction adjusts automatically when you clean."
Stressing the need to give inventors and investors and the protection of clear patent protection, McCarthy said,
"Its 25 years since the European Patent Convention came into force. In the fast-changing environment of computer-implemented inventions that's light years ago.
"If European industry is to have a fighting chance in the field of computer-implement inventions, then they must have the necessary protection.
"Otherwise, in an increasingly cut-throat and competitive global marketplace, it will be Japan and the US that cash in on licensing fees and reap the benefits of our R&D investment.'
"Today's vote sends a clear message to the wider public that we do not want a liberal-us style approach of patenting. We want tighter limits on patents to encourage innovation and competition but neither do we want to disadvantage European business, by denying them patent protection and its benefits for genuine inventions.
Commenting on the systematic campaign of misinformation being waged against the new legislation,
"This is a dishonest and destructive campaign designed to cause confusion about what the Parliament is trying to achieve. They are bombarding members with factually incorrect claims. They wanted to wreck the directive but they did not achieve their objective today."
"Campaigners against patents for computer implemented-inventions risk seriously undermining European Industry's interests by putting them at an extreme disadvantage in the global marketplace and putting at risk jobs in the growing software industry."
"Without patent protection there will be no financial incentive for our most creative industries to develop genuine inventions."
ends
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Computer Implemented Inventions
The existing rules
The European Patent Office (EPO) and national patent offices currently hand out patents for computer-implemented inventions.
But EU rules, set out in the European Patent Convention which came into force 25 years ago has led to different legal interpretations. Software applications have changed a great deal over the last two decades and EU law needs updating to end the current confusion over what can and cannot be patented.
The new rules
This Wednesday, the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Euro MPs will approve new legislation to clarify the current legal position by setting down - as far as possible in a fast-changing environment - what is and is not acceptable for patenting.
What next?
This legislation must be approved by EU Member State Governments before coming law. But MEPs have co-equal power in drafting the new law - ultimately they can reject the whole proposal if they do not agree the final text.