FFII

Einheitspatent in Deutschland nicht mehr ratifizierbar nach dem Brexit aufgrund des AETR-Urteils

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PRESSEMITTEILUNG — [ Europa / Brexit / Patent / Demokratie / Wirtschaft / Software ]
Berlin, 19. Februar 2020 — Mit Inkrafttreten des Brexit ist es Deutschland nicht mehr möglich, das Abkommen über das Einheitspatent (Unitary Patent) zu ratifizieren, teilt das FFII mit. Im Zusammenhang mit der Ratifizierung des AETR  (22/70) hat der Europäsche Gerichtshof Rechtsgrundsätze aufgestellt, die während der Verhandlungen 2006 dazu führten, dass nicht-EU-Staaten, wie die Schweiz, ausgeschlossen wurden. Das FFII ist der Ansicht, dass bei einer Ratifizierung in Deutschland eine erneute Verfassungsbeschwerde vielversprechend ist. Das Einheitspatent ist ein dritter Anlauf, um Software-Patente in Europa durchzusetzen.

FFII

L’Allemagne ne peut ratifier le Brevet Unitaire à cause du Brexit et de l’AETR, dit la FFII

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COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE – [ Europe / Brexit / Brevet / Démocratie / Economie / Logiciel ]

Berlin, 19 février 2020 – L’Allemagne n’a pas le droit de ratifier l’actuel brevet unitaire suite au Brexit et à la jurisprudence de l’AETR, selon FFII. La ratification de l’UPC par l’Allemagne constituerait désormais une violation de la jurisprudence AETR, qui a été utilisée lors des négociations sur l’EPLA en 2006 pour considérer un accord avec des pays tiers, comme la Suisse. La FFII indique que si l’Allemagne procède à la ratification, cela ouvrirait la possibilité d’un deuxième recours constitutionnel. Le brevet unitaire est la troisième tentative de validation des brevets logiciels en Europe. À la suite du Brexit, l’UPC devient un accord de différente catégorie, qui relève de la compétence externe de l’Union Européenne (articles 216/218 TFUE).

FFII

Demonstration against Unitary Software Patents thursday 12 dec in Brussels

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(Version plus complète en français ici) (More complete version in french here)
FFII calls to demonstrate against Unitary Software Patents, the third attempt to impose software patents in Europe. Software patents are a threat to small- and medium-sized software companies that cannot defend themselves. The UPC (Unified Patent Court) is an international court made outside of the European Union, which would have the last word over the question of software patenting. The Court would favour “patent trolls” which steal our jobs and extort money. Location: Parlement Régional Bruxellois, Rue du Lombard 69, 1000 BrusselsTime: thursday 12 december from 12H00 to 14H00Recommandation: take a ring of keys with you to make noise, preferably the “keys of the kingdom”Tshirts: we will bring new yellow tshirts “NO Unitary Software Patents” Organisation: Benjamin Henrion, FFII eV, @zoobab Contact: zoobab at gmail.com, +32 484 566109

Why the Unitary Patent should be rejected?

FFII

Manifestation contre le Brevet Logiciel Unitaire, jeudi 12 décembre à Bruxelles

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(Minimalist english version here)
FFII appelle à manifester contre le Brevet Logiciel Unitaire, la troisième tentative de valider les brevets logiciels en Europe. Les Brevets Logiciels sont des dangers pour les petites entreprises du secteur, qui ne peuvent se défendre. La Cour UPC est une cour internationale captive située au dehors de l’Union Européenne, et qui aura le dernier mot sur la question des brevets logiciels. La Cour UPC favorisera les “trolls des brevets” qui volent nos emplois. En pratique

Lieu: Parlement Régional Bruxellois, Rue du Lombard 69, 1000 Bruxelles
Heure: jeudi 12 décembre de 12H00 à 14H00
Consignes: pensez à prendre un trousseau de clefs qui fait du bruit, les clefs du royaume
Organisateur: Benjamin Henrion, FFII eV, @zoobab
Contact: zoobab at gmail.com, +32 484 566109
Tshirts: nous amenerons des tshirts jaunes “NO Unitary Software Patents”

Pourquoi faut-il rejeter le Brevet Unitaire?

FFII

European Patent Office censors Spanish contributions to its 2023 public consultation

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PRESS RELEASE — [ Europe / Spain / Patent / Democracy / Censorship / Economy ]

Madrid, 24 June 2019 – The European Patent Office (EPO) has censored contributions to its public consultation ‘EPO2023’ from spanish companies and citizens. The EPO wanted input from the public on how they could “improve” themselves, but failed to be inclusive. Seven contributions were refused on the basis that the EPO only accept contributions from the public only in its official three languages (English, German, French). Apparently, other contributions in Dutch were also censored. The first form was already biased as the EPO considered all companies to be “patent applicants”, so a normal company interested in to participate had to tick the option “other” instead of “company”.

FFII

World Intellectual Parasites Day: software patent trolls rejoice over Unitary Patent Court

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Today is World Intellectual Parasites Day, the day where patent trolls rejoice over sucking more blood out of software companies. Patent parasites rejoice over the creation of the european Unitary Patent Court (UPC), which will create an undemocratic monster fully captured by the parasite industry. Patent parasites are also pushing for a rewrite of the laws in the United States, in order to restore software patents, and continue to suck more blood out the software industry. Video: Unified Patent Court effets on SMEs in Europe


Planisware CEO Pierre Demonsant explains attacks from patent trolls (seek to 02:05). Links

World Intellectual Property Day: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Intellectual_Property_Day Tick parasite, credit: Wikipedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tick_male_(aka).jpg FFII: Software Patents through a central patent court:http://epla.ffii.org/quotes Youtube: Unified Patent Court effects on SMEs in Europehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR2l3UC67Rc&t=127 EFF: The Tillis-Coons patent bill will be a disaster for innovation https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/04/tillis-coons-patent-bill-will-be-disaster-innovation

FFII

Open letter to Prime Minister of Estonia and Members of Parliament on Internet Upload Filters

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Dear Prime Minister of Estonia,
Dear Members of Parliament of Estonia,

I am calling on Estonian politicians to “take back control” over its nationalposition over the adoption of controversal Copyright Directive (“internetupload filters”) that is scheduled to be “formally” adopted on Mondayby the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Estonia has made the following statement [1] yesterday regarding the adoption of the directive:

“Estonia has always supported the objective of the Directive, namely better access to content online, the functioning of key exceptions in the digital and cross-border environment and the better and balanced functioning of thecopyright marketplace.However, Estonia considers that the final text of the Directive does notstrike a sufficient balance between different interests in all aspects.Furthermore, Estonia has recently had parliamentary elections and our new government and parliament have not been able to give their position on the final compromise text.” I have personally contacted the permanent representation of Estonia (COREPER) in Brussels, which has confirmed that, despite the newly formed government and parliament, it is not the intention of the Estonian delegation in Council to ask for a removal of the dossier from the A-items list on Monday. I am therefore calling on your Government and your newly elected Parliament [2] to ask for a formal delay, and to assess properly the negative economic consequences of this ill-conceived directive, notably for the burgeoning internet economy. Best regards,

HENRION Benjamin,President of FFII.orgBelgium

Links

1.

FFII

Github installs upload filters to comply with new EU copyright directive

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PRESS RELEASE — [ Europe / Democracy / Censorship / Economy / Copyright ]
Brussels, 01 April 2019 – Github has installed upload filters over the week-end to comply with the new european copyright directive on ‘upload filters’. Microsoft lawyers have been busy interpreting the new exception for “open source code sharing platforms” that the directive provides. They came to the conclusion that Github was not covered by the exception, since it also hosts many code repositories without a proper open source LICENSE file. Jürgen Voss, open source developer for Bosch, says: “This Sunday I tried to push some changes via Github, some commits were refused because Github installed some copyright filters. The pre-git-commit-hook message was complaining about “citation too long”, as I was quoting an article from IAMBIASED IP magazine.

FFII

FFII call on national parliaments to reverse soviet-style internet upload filters

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PRESS RELEASE – [ Europe / Democracy / Censorship / Economy / Copyright ]

Brussels, 29 March 2019 – FFII is calling on angry protesters against internet upload filters to reverse the position of their country by calling for a vote in their national parliament. Council of the Ministers is an undemocratic institution where decisions on this particular subject are made by officials of the Member States’s ministries of culture. FFII call on national parliaments to ‘take back control’. The adoption of internet upload filters is a strategic mistake that will fuel the eurosceptics game at the coming elections. Boris Johnson’s reaction to european parliament vote yesterday left no doubt about it.

FFII

Germany confirms: article 13 would lead to upload filters

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The case that article 13 EU copyright reform proposal will not lead to internet upload filters, has crumbled, now that the German government acknowledges that article 13 would lead to such filters. Proponents of article 13 have claimed that alternatives to upload filters exist which will ensure that copyright protected works are not available on internet platforms. However, in discussions proponents have only mentioned manual filtering as an alternative. This didn’t convince, due to the massive amounts of uploads to filter. In an article major German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reports, under the title Bundesregierung rechnet mit ‘Uploadfiltern’ that the German government admits upload filters are likely to be needed. The newspaper mentions that Christian Lange, Parliamentary State Secretary to the German Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection, wrote in answer to a parliamentary question:

“In the [German] federal government’s view it appears likely that algorithmic measures will have to be taken in connection with large volumes of data for practical reasons alone.” (Translation Florian Mueller, see his blog.)

The German government acknowledges what everyone sees as unavoidable in case of large volumes of uploads.