2004-12-21 Software Patents Withdrawn from the Agenda of the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries at Poland's Request

Few people had expected the appearance of the Polish Vice Minister of Science and Computerisation (literally "State Under-Secretary in the Ministry of Science and Informatisation"), Włodzimierz Marcinski. Marcinski came personally to Brussels to present Poland's point of view, because the permanent representatives of Poland at the EU had been put under great pressure by the Dutch Presidency to accept the text, rather than to communicate the wishes of the Polish government.

After having been targeted by a demo campaign, Germany's minister of agriculture, Renate Künast of the Green Party, stayed away from the meeting. Instead a diplomat from the German representation in Brussels was sent with instructions to nod off the text. This openly showed a rift within the government. Meanwhile the German minister of justice hinted a possible will to make concessions and renegotiate the Council Agreement. Her ministry had, in spite of unanimous cricicism from all parties in the parliament, tried to push the agreement through today.

It is not yet clear what will happen next. With luck, the Luxembourg presidency will take a less rigid line, and allow the text to be reconsidered. However, it is not impossible that today's text could resurface again as an "uncontroversial" A-item in the Agricultural Council on the 10th of January, in the Economics and Finance Council of the 18th, or in the Competitiveness Council in March.