“On Friday, March 23rd 2001, State Secretary of Industry
Christian Pierret who is directly in charge of the French Patent
Policy stated in an interview to 01 Informatique, the leading IT
magazine in France: “I am against software patents in Europe. It
would kill innovation and promote juridical terrorism because
multinational software publishers would multiply legal disputes
against start-ups”.
“EuroLinux welcomes this brave position. “Christian Pierret is
the living proof that there still exist politicians in Europe who
defend innovation and the general interest even under the pressure
of powerful multinational software publishers, politicians who can
oppose the underwater lobbying of their national patent offices
seeking to defend their own privileges” says Stéfane
Fermigier, Pdt of AFUL for EuroLinux.”
“EuroLinux wishes for other governments in Europe to be able to
take similar positions. In Germany, all political parties have
taken positions against software patents. In France, many member of
parliaments (Conservative, Greens, Socialists) have taken positions
against software patents. In the Netherlands, the parliament
ordered its government to first fix the obviousness and
technicality criteria before allowing software patents. In Denmark,
PROSA, an association of 13.000 computer professionals opposed
software patents. The EuroLinux petition counts 200 commercial
companies in its supporters, as well as more than 70.000 individual
signatures.”
Web Webster has more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience in the tech sector. He’s written and edited news, demand generation, user-focused, and thought leadership content for business software solutions, consumer tech, and Linux Today, he edits and writes for a portfolio of tech industry news and analysis websites including webopedia.com, and DatabaseJournal.com.
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