| JURI 2003/04 | Europarl 2003/09 | Checklist | Votes | Debate 03/09/23 | result |
[κείμενο της αρχικής πρότασης της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής]
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29=59=41 [Αριθμός τροποποίησης] | EDD, VERD+GUE, UEN, .. [Καταθέτης] | ++ [Πρόταση ψήφου] | 410:179 [αποτέλεσμα ψηφοφορίας] | Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the limits of patentability with respect to automated data processing and its fields of application [τροποποιημένο κείμενο] |
[Δείγμα αιτιολόγησης/σχόλια]
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 116 | Kauppi | ++ | - | This directive lays down the rules concerning the limits of patentability and patent enforceability with respect to computer programs. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36=42=117 | EDD, UEN, Kauppi | +++ | + | (a) "computer-implemented invention" means any invention in the sense of the European Patent Convention the performance of which involves the use of a computer, computer network or other programmable apparatus and having in its implementations one or more non-technical features which are realised wholly or partly by a computer program or computer programs, besides the technical features that any invention must contribute; |
| 14 | JURI | -- | - | (a) "computer-implemented invention" means any invention the performance of which involves the use of a computer, computer network or other programmable apparatus and having one or more features which are realised wholly or partly by means of a computer program or computer programs; |
Οι τροποποιήσεις 36=42=117 διευκρινίζουν ότι μια καινοτομία δικαιούται κατοχύρωση ευρεσιτεχνίας αν είναι σύμφωνη με το ’ρθρο 52 της EPC, άσχετα με το άν ένα πρόγραμμα υπολογιστή είναι μέρος της υλοποίησής της. Στην περίπτωση της τροποποίησης 14, το εξής συμφωνεί με τον ορισμό που δίνεται: "μια εφεύρεση η λειτουργία της οποίας απαιτεί τη χρήση υπολογιστή και όλα της τα χαρακτηριστικά πραγματοποιούνται μέσω ενός προγράμματος υπολογιστή". Ως έχει, υπονοεί ότι τα προγράμματα υπολογιστή μπορεί να είναι εφευρέσεις, παρόλο που αυτό έρχεται σε αντίθεση με το άρθρο 52 EPC.
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 69 | PSE (Medina) | +++ | + | (b) "technical contribution" means a contribution to the state of the art in a technical field which is not obvious to a person skilled in the art. The use of natural forces to control physical effects beyond the digital representation of information belongs to a technical field. The processing, handling, and presentation of information do not belong to a technical field, even where technical devices are employed for such purposes. |
| 107 | Kauppi | ++ | + | (b) "technical contribution", also called "invention", means a contribution to the state of the art in technical field. The technical character of the contribution is one of the four requirements for patentability. Additionally, to deserve a patent, the technical contribution has to be new, non-obvious, and susceptible of industrial application. |
| 96 | ELDR (Manders, Plooij) | - | - | (b) "technical contribution" means a contribution, involving an inventive step to a technical field which solves an existing technical problem or extends the state of the art in a significant way to a person skilled in the art. |
Η τροποποίηση 96 φαίνεται να υποδηλώνει ότι μόνο το πρόβλημα αλλά όχι η λύση χρειάζεται να είναι τεχνική. Η λέξη "σημαντικό" δεν έχει νομική έννοια και οδηγεί μάλλον σε σύγχιση παρά σε διευκρίνιση. Προφανώς το "τεχνικό" πρέπει να οριστεί ξεκάθαρα αν είναι να έχει κάποιο χρήσιμο αποτέλεσμα. Το να απαιτείται η επίλυση ενός τεχνικού προβλήματος είναι εξίσου κακό ή χειρότερο με την CEC. Δεν πρέπει να εστιάζουμε την προσοχή στην εφαρμογή (το πρόβλημα που επιλύεται), αλλά στη λύση (το αποτέλεσμα της εμπειρικής έρευνας που μπορεί να δικαιούται προστασία ευρεσιτεχνίας). Κάθε λογισμικό μπορεί να λέγεται ότι λύνει κάποιο πρόβλημα, αλλά αν η λύση καινοτομεί μόνο στο λογισμικό, δεν μπορεί να λεχθεί ότι είναι μια τεχνική λύση (τουλάχιστον μια νέα τεχνική λύση).
Amendment 69 goes in the right direction by stating that "processing, handling, and presentation of information do not belong to a technical field". It risks mixing the "technical contribution" (= invention) requirement with non-obviousness requirements, similar to 96. However even though the wording is redundant, there is nothing wrong with saying that the contribution (invention) must be "non-obvious". This can even help to correct EPO misperceptions, according which "the non-obviousness must contain a technical contribution". Given that this amendment also defines what "technical fields" (Art 27 TRIPs) are, it is extremely useful.
Τέλος, η τροποποίηση 107 τα θέτει σωστά: δηλώνει καθαρά ότι η "τχνολογική συνεισφορά" είναι συνώνυμο της εφεύρεσης και επαναλαμβάνει τις απαιτήσεις για δυνατότητα κατοχύρωσης του ’ρθρου 52 EPC. Αυτή η τροποποίηση δεν περιορίζει το δικαίωμα κατοχύρωσης ευρεσιτεχνίας με κανέναν τρόπο, απλως επιβεβαιώνει το ’ρθρο 52 EPC και αφαιρεί οποιαδήποτε σύγχιση μπορεί να προέκυπτε από το ανακάτεμα των ελέγχων δυνατότητας κατοχύρωσης, όπως κάνει το αρχικό κείμενο της CEC και οι άλλες τροποποιήσεις.
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55=97=108 | ELDR, VERD+GUE+, Kauppi+ | ++ | + | (ba) "technical field" means an industrial application domain requiring the use of controllable forces of nature to achieve predictable results. "Technical" means "belonging to a technical field". The use of forces of nature to control physical effects beyond the digital representation of information belongs to a technical domain. The production, handling, processing, distribution and presentation of information do not belong to a technical field, even when technical devices are employed for such purposes. |
| 37 | EDD, UEN | ++ | 0:0 | "Technology" means "applied natural science". "Technical" means "concrete and physical". |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39=43 | EDD, UEN | ++ | - | (bb) "invention" in the sense of patent law means "solution of a problem by use of controllable forces of nature" ; |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38=44=118 | EDD, Kauppi++, UEN | ++ | + | (bc) "industry" in the sense of patent law means "automated production of material goods"; |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | JURI | + | 0:0 | (διαγράφτηκε) |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | UEN | +++ | 0:0 | Member states shall ensure that data processing is not considered to be a field of technology in the sense of patent law, and that innovations in the field of data processing are not considered to be inventions in the sense of patent law. |
Αν η επεξεργιασία δεδομένων είναι "τεχνική", τότε τα πάντα είναι "τεχνικά".
Η επεξεργασία δεδομένων είναι κοινή βάση όλων των πεδίων της τεχνολογίας και εκτός της τεχνολογίας. Με την έλευση του υπολογιστή (γενικής χρήσεως) τη δεκαετία του 1950, η αυτόματη επεξεργασία δεδομένων (ADP) γενικεύτηκε στην κοινωνία και τη βιομηχανία.
Όπως γράφει το 1977 ο Gert Kolle, ένας κρυφαίος θεωρητικός πίσω από τις αποφάσεις της δεκαετίας του 1970 να μη δικαιούται το λογισμικό κατοχύρωση ευρεσιτεχνίας, (βλέπε Gert Kolle 1977: Technik, Datenverarbeitung und Patentrecht -- Bermerkungen zur Dispositionsprogramm - Entscheidung des Bundesgerichtshofs):
Το CULT έκανε καλά να ψηφίσει για ξεκάθαρη εξαίρεση της επεξεργασίας δεδομένων από το χώρο που καλύπτει η "τεχνολογία".
Πολυάριθμες μελέτες, ορισμένες από τις οποίες διεξάχθηκαν από όργανα της ΕΕ, καθώς και οι γνώμες της Ευρωπαϊκής Οικονομικής και Κοινωνικής Επιτροής και της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής Περιοχών εξηγούν με λεπτομέρειες γιατί η οικονομία της Ευρώπης θα υποστεί ζημιές αν οι καινοτομίες στην επεξεργασία δεδομένων δεν εξαιρεθούν καθαρά από την κατοχύρωση ευρεσιτεχνιών.
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ? | JURI | o | 0:0 | (Split into parts 1 2 and 3.) |
JURI has split this article into parts 1, 2 and 3. This is dangerous because it prevents certain amendments, which may apply to the whole article, from being put to vote.
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-1 | JURI | - | - | In order to be patentable, a computer-implemented invention must be susceptible of industrial application and new and involve an inventive step. |
| 56=98=109 | ELDR, VERD+GUE+, Kauppi+ | ++ | + | Member States shall ensure that patents are granted only for technical inventions which are new, non-obvious and susceptible of industrial application. |
cf BPatG Fehlersuche 2002/03/26: System für verbesserte Recheneffizienz = Programm als solches
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | UEN | ++ | - | Member States shall ensure that it is a condition of constituting an invention in the sense of patent law that an innovation, regardless of whether it involves the use of a computer or not, must be of technical character. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-2 | JURI | o | + | The technical contribution shall be assessed by considering the state of the art and the scope of the patent claim considered as a whole, which must comprise technical features, irrespective whether or not such features are accompanied by non-technical features. |
| 82 | EDD | + | - | (διαγράφτηκε) |
Μάλιστα, το κείμενο της Επιτροπής υπονοεί οτι ιδέες πλαισιωμένες σε όρους υπολογιστή γενικής χρήσεως (προγράμματα υπολογιστών) είναι εφευρέσεις που δικαιούνται κατοχύρωση ευρεσιτεχνίας. Η διαγραφή, όπως προτείνεται από την τροποποίηση 82, θα μπορούσε να βοηθήσει, διότι τα μόνα αποτελέσματα αυτής της παραγράφου είναι να συγχέουν τις δοκιμασίες δικαιώματος κατοχύρωσης και έτσι να κάνουν αδύνατο για τα εθνικά γραφεία διπλωμάτων ευρεσιτεχνίας να απορρίψουν μη νόμιμες αιτήσεις διπλώματος ευρεσιτεχνίας χωρίς σημαντική μελέτη. Η Τροποποίηση 16 κάνει το ίδιο σφάλμα με το κείμενο της επιτροπής, απλώς τακτοποιεί λίγο τη διατύπωση. Η Τροποποίηση 40 θα ανακληθεί, τώρα έχει τεθεί προς συζήτηση ως εισαγωγή (83).
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-3 | JURI | - | - | The technical contribution shall be assessed by considering the state of the art and the scope of the patent claim considered as a whole, which must comprise technical features, irrespective whether or not such features are accompanied by non-technical features. |
| 57=99=110 | ELDR, VERD+GUE, Kauppi | ++ | 0:0 | The technical contribution shall be assessed by consideration of the difference between all of the the technical features of the patent claim and the state of the art. |
| 100 | ELDR | - | +,- | 3. The significant extent of the technical contribution shall be assessed by consideration of the difference between the technical elements included in the scope of the patent claim considered as a whole and the state of the art. Elements disclosed by the applicant for a patent over a period of six months before the date of the application shall not be considered to be part of the state of the art when assessing that particular claim. |
Όμως, η πρόταση της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής ακυρώνει την ίδια της την έννοια της "τεχνικής συνεισφοράς" επιτρέποντας την εφεύρεση να αποτελείται από μη τεχνικά χαρακτηριστικά. Η εκδοχή της JURI δηλώνει μόνο ότι τα αιτήματα πρέπει να περιέχουν τεχνικά χαρακτηριστικά, αλλά αυτό δεν είναι πραγματικό όριο. Ένα παράδειγμα μπορεί να το κάνει αυτό σαφές. Υποθέστε ότι θέλουμε να κατοχυρώσουμε ευρεσιτεχνία για ένα πρόγραμμα υπολογιστή, και έτσι λέμε ότι αυτό είναι η "τεχνική συνεισφορά". Στα αιτήματα, περιγράφουμε μια εφαρμογή αυτού του προγράμματος, οπότε λέμε ότι κατοχυρώνουμε την εκτέλεση αυτού του προγράμματος σε υπολογιστή. Τώρα τα αιτήματα του διπλώματος ευρεσιτεχνίας περιέχουν τεχνικά χαρακτηριστικά (τον υπολογιστή), και η διαφορά ανάμεσα στα αιτήματα της ευρεσιτεχνίας (γνωστός υπολογιστής + νέο πρόγραμμα) και το επίπεδο της τεχνολογίας (γνωστός υπολογιστής) είναι το πρόγραμμα υπολογιστή. Έτσι, ένα πρόγραμμα υπολογιστή μπορεί να είναι μια τεχνική συνεισφορά, σύμφωνα με αυτόν τον όρο, πράγμα τελείως αντιφατικό (καθώς ένα πρόγραμμα υπολογιστή δεν μπορεί να είναι τεχνικό). Είναι σαφές ότι απαιτείται μια διόρθωση σαν αυτή στην τροποποίηση 57=99=110, αν πρόκειται να χρησιμοποιηθεί η έννοια της "τεχνικής συνεισφοράς".
Η περίοδος χάριτος νεωτερισμού που προτείνεται από την τροποποίηση 100 είναι ένα ανεξάρτητο ερώτημα. Όπως φαίνεται από ένα πρόσφατο συμβούλιο που διεξήχθη από το Γραφείο Διπλωμάτων Ευρεσιτεχνίας του Ηνωμένου Βασιλείου, είναι εξαιρετικά αμφιλεγόμενη ακόμα και ανάμεσα σε αυτούς που υποτίθεται ότι θα ωφεληθούν από αυτή. Δεν είναι σαφές αν μια περίοδος χάριτος νεωτερισμού θα ωφελήσει πραγματικά τους SME, όπως προτείνει η αναφορά της ITRE. Στην περίπτωση της ανάπτυξης λογισμικού ανοικτού κώδικα, θα μπορούσε να προξενήσει ακόμα και πρόσθετη ανασφάλεια σχετικά με το αν οι ιδέες που δημοσιεύονται δε δεσμεύονται από διπλώματα ευρεσιτεχνίας.
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | PSE | + | + | In determining whether a given computer-implemented invention makes a technical contribution, the following test shall be used: whether it constitutes a new teaching on cause-effect relations in the use of controllable forces of natures and has an industrial application in the strict sense of the expression, in terms of both method and result. |
Επίσης, λέγοντας ότι αυτή η δοκιμασία "θα εφαρμόζεται", ο όρος δεν απαιτεί ξεκάθαρα πως αυτή η δοκιμασία στην πραγματικότητα πρέπει να περαστεί, ούτε ξεκαθαρίζει το τι εννοείται από τον όρο "τεχνική συνεισφορά".
Τέλος, δεν υπάρχει νομικός ορισμός της "βιομηχανικής εφαρμογής κατά την αυστηρή έννοια της έκφρασης, σε όρους και της μεθόδου και του αποτελέσματος".
Παρόλ' αυτά, προτείνουμε την υποστήριξη της τροποποίησης 70. Τουλάχιστον συστηματοποιεί σημαντικοά σημεία της έννοιας της "τεχνικής εφεύρεσης". Έτσι, σε συυνδυασμό με άλλες τροποποιήσεις, μπορεί τελικά να βοηθήσει στην χάραξη ενός καθαρού ορίου για την ικανότητα κάλυψης από τα διπλώματα ευρεσιτεχνίας.
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | JURI | - | + | Exclusions from patentability A computer-implemented invention shall not be regarded as making a technical contribution merely because it involves the use of a computer, network or other programmable apparatus. Accordingly, inventions involving computer programs which implement business, mathematical or other methods and do not produce any technical effects beyond the normal physical interactions between a program and the computer, network or other programmable apparatus in which it is run shall not be patentable. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | PPE-DE | o | n | Exclusions from patentability A computer-implemented invention shall not be regarded as making a technical contribution merely because it involves the use of a computer, network or other programmable apparatus. Accordingly, inventions merely involving computer programs (data processing) which implement business, mathematical or other methods and do not produce any technical effects beyond the normal physical interactions between a program and the computer, network or other programmable apparatus in which it is run shall not be patentable. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47=60 | VERD+GUE++, UEN | ++ | + | Member States shall ensure that computer-implemented solutions to technical problems are not considered to be patentable inventions merely because they improve efficiency in the use of resources within the data processing system. |
cf Why Amazon One Click Shopping is Patentable under the Proposed EU Directive
Οι Τροποποιήσεις 47 και 60 σαφώς λένε στο EPO να ακολουθήσει την προσέγγιση του Γερμανικού Ομοσπονδιακού Δικαστηρίου Διπλωμάτων Ευρεσιτεχνίας στο να αρνηθεί το ότι η βελτίωσης της απόδοσης επεξεργασίας δεδομένων είναι μια "τεχνική συνεισφορά".
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46=83 | EDD, UEN | ++ | - | Member States shall ensure that patents on computerised innovations are upheld and enforced only if they were granted according to the rules of Article 52 of the European Patent Convention of 1973, as explained in the European Patent Office's Examination Guidelines of 1978. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | JURI | -- | 0:0 | A claim to a computer program, on its own, on a carrier or as a signal, shall be allowable only if such program would, when loaded or run on a computer, computer network or other programmable apparatus, implement a product or carry out a process patentable under Articles 4 and 4a. |
| 49=58=101 | ELDR, VERD+GUE, UEN | ++ | - | Member States shall ensure that a computer-implemented invention may be claimed only as a product, that is a set of equipment comprising both programmable apparatus and devices which use forces of nature in an inventive way, or as a technical production process operated by such a computer, computer network or apparatus through the execution of software. |
| 102=111 | ELDR, Kauppi | + | + | (a) Member States shall ensure that a computer-implemented invention may be claimed only as a product, that is as a programmed device, or as a technical production process. |
Όμως, η διατύπωση της CEC ακόμα προτείνει ότι το γνωστό υλικό υπολογιστή γενικής χρήσεως και οι κανόνες υπολογισμών που εκτελούνται σε αυτό (= προγράμματα υπολογιστή) είναι προϊόντα και διεργασίες που επιδέχονται κατοχύρωση ευρεσιτεχνίας. Η τροποποίηση 101/58 προσπαθεί να αντιμετωπίσει το πρόβλημα αυτό. Μπορεί να είναι καλή ιδέα να αντικατασταθεί το "τεχνικές διαδικασίες παραγωγής που λειτουργούν με έναν τέτοιο υπολογιστή" με το "οι εφευρετικές διαδικασίες που τρέχουν σε ένα τέτοιο σύνολο εξοπλισμού" αν αυτό είναι ακόμη δυνατό με τη μορφή μιας "συμβιβαστικής τροποποίησης". Η Τροποποίηση 102 ορίζει την "εφεύρεση υλοποιημένη σε υπολογιστή" ως μόνο κάποιο προϊόν ή τεχνική διεργασία παραγωγής. Εφόσον οριστεί το "τεχνική", αυτό μπορεί να είναι χρήσιμο. Παρόλα αυτά, ένας υπολογιστής που τρέχει κάποιο πρόγραμμα μπορεί να ερμηνευτεί επίσης και ως "προγραμματιζόμενη συσκευή", και η κατοχύρωση ευρεσιτεχνίας για τη χρήση ενός προγράμματος υπολογιστή όταν εκτελείται σε έναν υπολογιστή έχει το ίδιο αποτέλεσμα με την κατοχύρωση του ίδιου του προγράμματος: δεν υπάρχει άλλος τρόπος να χρησιμοποιηθεί ένα πρόγραμμα εκτός από το να εκτελεστεί σε κάποιον υπολογιστή.
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | GUE | + | o | Limitation of the effects of patents granted to computer-implemented inventions Member States shall ensure that the rights conferred by the patent shall not extend to the acts done to run, copy, distribute, study, change or improve a computer program which is distributed under a licence that provides for:
|
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | PSE | o | o | Die Mitgliedstaaten stellen sicher, dass auf computerimplementierte Erfindungen erteilte Patentansprüche nur den technischen Beitrag umfassen, der den Patentanspruch begründet. Ein Patentanspruch auf ein Computerprogramm, sei es auf das Programm allein oder auf ein auf einem Datenträger vorliegendes Programm, ist unzulässig. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 103=119 | ELDR, Kauppi | ++ | + | Member States shall ensure that the production, handling, processing, distribution and publication of information, in whatever form, can never constitute direct or indirect infringement of a patent, even when a technical apparatus is used for that purpose. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 104-1=120-1 | ELDR, Kauppi | o | + | (c) Member States shall ensure that the use of a computer program for purposes that do not belong to the scope of the patent cannot constitute a direct or indirect patent infringement. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 104-2, 120-2 | ELDR, Kauppi++ | + | 0:0 | (d) Member States shall ensure that whenever a patent claim names features that imply the use of a computer program, a well-functioning and well documented reference implementation of such a program is published as part of the patent description without any restricting licensing terms. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | JURI | o | + | The rights conferred by patents granted for inventions within the scope of this Directive shall not affect acts permitted under Articles 5 and 6 of Directive 91/250/EEC on the legal protection of computer programs by copyright, in particular under the provisions thereof in respect of decompilation and interoperability. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | UEN | +++ | - | (a) Member States shall ensure that, wherever the use of a patented technique is needed for the sole purpose of ensuring conversion between the conventions used in two different data processing systems so as to allow communication and exchange of data content between them, such use is not considered to be a patent infringement.. |
| 20 | JURI | ++ | + | (a) Member States shall ensure that wherever the use of a patented technique is needed for the sole purpose of ensuring conversion of the conventions used in two different computer systems or network so as to allow communication and exchange of data content between them, such use is not considered to be a patent infringement. |
| 76 | PSE | -- | - | (a) Member States shall ensure that, wherever the use of a patented technique is needed for a significant purpose such as ensuring conversion of the conventions used in two different computer systems or networks so as to allow communication and exchange of data content between them, such use is not considered to be a patent infringement, provided that it does not unreasonably conflict with a normal exploitation of the patent and does not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of the patent owner, taking account of the legitimate interests of third parties. |
| 105 | ELDR | -- | - | Use of patented technologies Member States shall ensure that, wherever the use of a patented technique is needed for the sole purpose of ensuring conversion of the conventions used in two different computer systems or networks so as to allow communication and exchange of data content between them, such use is not considered to be a patent infringement, provided that:
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Η τροποποίηση 76 αφαιρεί κάθε σαφήνεια σχετικά με το πότε επιτρέπεται η χρήση τεχνικών κατοχυρωμένων ως ευρεσιτεχνία για διαλειτουργία και πότε όχι. Είναι αντίθετη στο βασικό σκοπό της οδηγίας, ο οποίος είναι να συγκεκριμενοποιήσει κάποιους αφηρημένουνς μετά-κανόνες, συμπεριλαμβανομένων αυτών του ’ρθρου 30 του TRIPs, και έτσι να πετύχει σαφήνεια και νομική ασφάλεια.
Είναι καλό ότι η τροποποίηση 105 συμφωνεί με εμάς ότι μια "εφεύρεση υλοποιημένη σε υπολογιστή" δεν μπορεί να σημαίνει οτιδήποτε άλλο εκτός από λογισμικό που τρέχει στον υπολογιστή. Όμως, οι εξαιρέσεις που αναφέρει είναι πολυ παράξενες. Στην πρώτη περίπτωση, αν η εφεύρεση είναι μια αυτόνομη μηχανή, δεν υπάρχει απαίτηση διαλειτουργικότητας. Αν δεν υπάρχει απαίτηση διαλειτουργικότητας, ούτε η τροποποίηση 20 δεν εφαρμόζεται. Αν αντίθετα υπάρχει τέτοια απαίτηση, τότε η κατοχυρωμένη ευρεσιτεχνία δε θα λειτουργεί ως ανεξάρτητη μηχανή ή τεχνική εφεύρεση. Ο δεύτερος όρος είναι πολύ επικίνδυνος, καθώς αφήνει τα πάντα να αποφασιστούν από τα δικαστήρια, αποτυγχάνοντας έτσι στο σκοπό της οδηγίας για σαφήνεια. Όπως δείχνουν οι αντιμονοπωλιακές υποθέσεις εναντίον της Microsoft και στις ΗΠΑ και στην Ευρώπη, είναι εξαιρετικά δύσκολο και χρονοβόρο να διαπιστωθεί εάν κάποια συμπεριφορά παραβιάζει την υπάρχουσα νομοθεσία περί αναταγωνισμού. Αυτό θα έκανε τον όρο περί διαλειτουργικότητας ανίσχυρο και θα έθετε τους SME σε ακόμα μειονεκτικότερη θέση, καθώς οι μεγάλες εταιρίες μπορούν να ξοδέψουν πολύ περισσότερα χρήματα σε δικαστικές υποθέσεις.
see also Interoperability and the Software Patents Directive: What Degree of Exemption is Needed
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 106 | ELDR | o | - | (b) Term of patent The term of a patent granted for computer-implemented inventions pursuant to this Directive shall be 7 years as from the date of filing. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | JURI | - | o | Ακατάστατη διατύπωση, χρησιμοποιεί τον προπαγανδιστικό όρο "ε. υ. σε υπ.". |
| 91 | PPE-DE | + | 0:0 | The Commission shall monitor the impact of patent protection for computer-implemented inventions on innovation and competition, both within Europe and internationally, and on European businesses. Special attention will be paid to the position of small and medium-sized enterprises and of electronic commerce and to the impact of dominant positions on the functioning of the market. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | PPE-DE | -- | - | The Commission shall examine the question of how to make patent protection more readily accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises and ways of assisting them with the costs of obtaining and enforcing patents. |
| 71 | PSE | - | +,- | The Commission shall monitor the impact of computer-implemented inventions on innovation and competition, both within Europe and internationally, and on European businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises and the open source community, and electronic commerce. The Commission shall examine the question of how to make patent protection more readily accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises and ways of assisting them with the costs of obtaining and enforcing patents, in particular through the creation of a defence fund and the introduction of special rules on legal costs. It shall report on its findings to the European Parliament and the Council and present appropriate proposals for legislation without delay. |
Amendment 90 is like 71, but less explicit.
Both amendments 71 and 90 call for an insurance for promotion not of defence of software companies against patent aggression, but, on the contrary, of aggressive use of patents by specialised patent litigation SMEs such as Eolas and Allvoice against software companies. The archetype for the "Patent Defence" concept is the "Patent Defence Union" created by the CEO of Allvoice Computing PLC. Allvoice is the "ten-person company located in an employment blackspot in south-west England" which Arlene McCarthy praises in her JURI Draft Report. Allvoice has hardly produced any software itself, certainly not speech recognition software, but it used two trivial and broad patents on user interfaces in order to extort money from real speech recognition software companies. By promoting the Patent Defence scheme as set out in this amendment, MEPs should note that they would be promoting litigation instead of innovation.
Several EU studies on SMEs and software patents have found that there are systematic reasons why SMEs are not using the patent system. These are unlikely to be overcome by any proselytising system, no matter how much public money is poured into it.
[...]
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89 | PPE-DE (Wuermeling) | + | 0:0 | (ca) the impact on the conversion of the conventions used in two different computer systems to allow communication and exchange of data |
| 92 | PPE-DE (Thyssen) | + | + | whether the rules governing the term of the patent and the determination of the patentability requirements, and more specifically novelty, inventive step and the proper scope of claims, are adequate; and |
| 93 | PPE-DE (Thyssen) | + | + | (ca) whether the option outlined in the Directive concerning the use of a patented invention for the sole purpose of ensuring interoperability between two systems is adequate; |
| 94 | PPE-DE (Thyssen) | + | + | 1a In this report the Commission shall justify why it believes an amendment of the Directive in question necessary or not and, if required, will list the points which it intends to propose an amendment to. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52=54=68 | EDD, VERD+GUE, UEN | +? | - | απορρίπτει την προτεινόμενη οδηγία |
cf Conditions for Approval of the Software Patent Directive Proposal
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29=41=41 | EDD, VERD+GUE, UEN, .. | ++ | - | Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the limits of patentability with respect to automated data processing and its fields of application |
cf Article 1
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | EDD | + | - | (διαγράφτηκε) |
| 1 | JURI | - | + | The realisation of the internal market implies the elimination of restrictions to free circulation and of distortions in competition, while creating an environment which is favourable to innovation and investment. In this context the protection of inventions by means of patents is an essential element for the success of the internal market. Effective, transparent and harmonised protection of computer-implemented inventions throughout the Member States is essential in order to maintain and encourage investment in this field. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | JURI | - | ? | Therefore, the legal rules as interpreted by Member States' courts should be harmonised and the law governing the patentability of computer-implemented inventions should be made transparent. The resulting legal certainty should enable enterprises to derive the maximum advantage from patents for computer-implemented inventions and provide an incentive for investment and innovation. Legal certainty will also be secured by the fact that, in case of doubt as to the interpretation of this Directive, national courts may and national courts of last instance must seek a ruling from the Court of Justice. |
Amendment 2 seems to claim that the mere fact of writing EU law, no matter what the contents, already "results in legal certainty", simply because the Luxemburg court can interpret this law. This new goal statement is not only questionable but also pointless, because
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88 | PPE-DE | + | + | The rules pursuant to Article 52 of the European Patent Convention concerning the limits to patentability should be confirmed and clarified. The consequent legal certainty should help to foster a climate conducive to investment and innovation in the field of software. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | EDD | + | + | (διαγράφτηκε) |
Η διαγραφή είναι καλή, αλλά θα ήταν καλύτερη η διασάφηση.
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32=112 | EDD, Kauppi | + | + | Under the Convention on the Grant of European Patents signed in Munich on 5 October 1973 and the patent laws of the Member States, programs for computers together with discoveries, scientific theories, mathematical methods, aesthetic creations, schemes, rules and methods for performing mental acts, playing games or doing business, and presentations of information are expressly not regarded as inventions and are therefore excluded from patentability. This exception applies because the said subject-matter and activities do not belong to a field of technology. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | JURI | o | 0:0 | The aim of this Directive is not to amend the European Patent Convention, but to prevent different interpretations of its provisions. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95 | ELDR | + | + | Parliament has repeatedly asked the European Patent Office to review its operating rules and for the Office to be publicly accountable in the exercise of its functions. In this connection it would be particularly desirable to reconsider the practice in which the Office sees fit to obtain payment for the patents that it grants, as this practice harms the public nature of the institution. In its resolution1 on the decision by the European Patent Office with regard to patent No EP 695 351 granted on 8 December 1999, Parliament requested a review of the OfficeO s operating rules to ensure that it was publicly accountable in the exercise of its functions. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | GUE | + | - | Free software is providing a highly valuable and socially useful way of building common and shared innovation and knowledge diffusion. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 113 | UEN, Kauppi | ++ | - | While computer programs are abstract and do not belong to any particular field, they are used to describe and control processes in all fields of applied natural and social science. |
| 33 | EDD | + | - | (διαγράφτηκε) |
| 4 | JURI | - | o | In order to be patentable, inventions in general and computer-implemented inventions in particular must be susceptible of industrial application, new and involve an inventive step. In order to involve an inventive step, computer-implemented inventions should make a technical contribution to the state of the art. |
| 84 | PPE-DE | - | + | In order to be patentable, inventions in general and computer-implemented inventions in particular must be susceptible of industrial application, new and involve an inventive step. In order to involve an inventive step, they must in addition make a new technical contribution to the state of the art, in order to distinguish them from pure software. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | UEN | + | - | While computer programs are abstract and do not belong to any particular field, they are used to describe and control processes in all fields of applied natural and social science. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | PSE | o | o | Computer-implemented inventions are only patentable if they may be considered to belong to a field of technology and, in addition, are new, involve an inventive step and are susceptible of industrial application.. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | JURI | -- | o | Accordingly, even though a computer-implemented invention belongs by virtue of its very nature to a field of technology, it is important to make it clear that where an invention does not make a technical contribution to the state of the art, as would be the case, for example, where its specific contribution lacks a technical character, the invention will lack an inventive step and thus will not be patentable. When assessing whether an inventive step is involved, it is usual to apply the problem and solution approach in order to establish that there is a technical problem to be solved. If no technical problem is present, then the invention cannot be considered to make a technical contribution to the state of the art. |
| 114=125 | Kauppi, GUE | ++ | + | Accordingly, an innovation that does not make a technical contribution to the state of the art is not an invention in the sense of patent law. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34=115 | EDD, Kauppi | + | + | (διαγράφτηκε) |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | JURI | o | o | However, the mere implementation of an otherwise unpatentable method on an apparatus such as a computer is not in itself sufficient to warrant a finding that a technical contribution is present. Accordingly, a computer-implemented business method or other method in which the only contribution to the state of the art is non-technical cannot constitute a patentable invention. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | JURI | + | 0:0 | If the contribution to the state of the art relates solely to unpatentable matter, there can be no patentable invention irrespective of how the matter is presented in the claims. For example, the requirement for technical contribution cannot be circumvented merely by specifying technical means in the patent claims. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | JURI | - | 0:0 | Furthermore, an algorithm is inherently non-technical and therefore cannot constitute a technical invention. Nonetheless, a method involving the use of an algorithm might be patentable provided that the method is used to solve a technical problem. However, any patent granted for such a method would not monopolise the algorithm itself or its use in contexts not foreseen in the patent. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | JURI | o | + | The scope of the exclusive rights conferred by any patent are defined by the claims. Computer-implemented inventions must be claimed with reference to either a product such as a programmed apparatus, or to a process carried out in such an apparatus. Accordingly, where individual elements of software are used in contexts which do not involve the realisation of any validly claimed product or process, such use will not constitute patent infringement. |
Η τροποποίηση μπορεί να έχει ένα έμμεσο όφελος: φαίνεται να έρχεται σε σύγκρουση με την τροποποίηση 18 στο άρθρο 5 λέγοντας ότι μόνο προγραμματιζόμενες συσκευές και διαδικασίες μπορούν να κατοχυρωθούν.
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | JURI | -- | +- | The legal protection of computer-implemented inventions does not necessitate the creation of a separate body of law in place of the rules of national patent law. The rules of national patent law remain the essential basis for the legal protection of computer-implemented inventions. This Directive simply clarifies the present legal position having regard to the practices of the European Patent Office with a view to securing legal certainty, transparency, and clarity in the law and avoiding any drift towards the patentability of unpatentable methods, such as business methods. |
| 86 | PPE-DE | - | +o+ | The legal protection of computer-implemented inventions does not necessitate the creation of a separate body of law in place of the rules of national patent law. The rules of national patent law remain the essential basis for the legal protection of computer-implemented inventions. This Directive simply clarifies the present legal position with a view to securing legal certainty, transparency, and clarity of the law and avoiding any drift towards the patentability of unpatentable methods such as trivial procedures and business methods. |
Amendment 86 does not ask for a codification of the current EPO practice, but on the other hand talks about "unpatentable methods such as trivial procedures and business methods". Not just trivial business methods must remain unpatentable, but all business methods must remain so (otherwise we are deviating from Art 52 EPC, which should be avoided as suggested in amendment 88).
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | JURI | - | + | The competitive position of European industry in relation to its major trading partners will be improved if the current differences in the legal protection of computer-implemented inventions are eliminated and the legal situation is transparent. With the present trend for traditional manufacturing industry to shift their operations to low-cost economies outside the European Union, the importance of intellectual property protection and in particular patent protection is self-evident. |
| 35 | EDD | + | - | The competitive position of European industry in relation to its major trading partners could be improved if the current schism in judicial practice concerning the limits of patentability with regard to computer programs was eliminated. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | JURI | - | 0 | This Directive should be without prejudice to the application of the competition rules, in particular Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | JURI | o | + | The rights conferred by patents granted for inventions within the scope of this Directive shall not affect acts permitted under Articles 5 and 6 of Directive 91/250/EEC on the legal protection of computer programs by copyright, in particular under the provisions thereof in respect of decompilation and interoperability. In particular, acts which, under Articles 5 and 6 of Directive 91/250/EEC, do not require authorisation of the rightholder with respect to the rightholder's copyrights in or pertaining to a computer program, and which, but for Articles 5 or 6 of Directive 91/250/EEC, would require such authorisation, shall not require authorisation of the rightholder with respect to the rightholder's patent rights in or pertaining to the computer program. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 74 | PSE | - | - | The application of this directive must not deviate from the original foundations of patent law, which means that the applicant of the patent must provide a description of all elements of the invention, including the source code, and that research into it, and as such decompilation, must be made possible. This way of working is indispensable to make compulsory licensing possible, for example if the obligation to supply the market is not fulfilled. |
| nr | auth | val | res | text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | PSE (Ortega) | - | - | In any case, the law of all member states must ensure that the patents contain novelties and contain an inventive step, to prevent inventions which are already public from being appropriated, simply because they belong to a computer program. |
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