"The European Patent Office is a Corrupt, Malicious Organisation Which Should Not Exist"

--Richard Stallman

Summary: A roundup of coverage about loophole for software patents and trolls being created in the EU

Internet giants seemingly oppose software patents in The Valley, based on what Google and Facebook are doing as covered in technology news sites. But don't expect this to prevent misguided or malicious EU politicians such as Barnier (recently seen here). They repeatedly use "Silicon Valley" as a talking point in their propaganda for the Unitary Patent. The topic and those talking points can be found in a lot of lawyers' sites, which are spinning EU approval for Unitary Patent as good news, not a disaster like ACTA. Here is some coverage:

• EU approves unitary patent

• Unitary patent: European Parliament votes to back package of measures on new framework

• European Patent Office welcomes historic agreement on unitary patent

• European unitary patent approved

• European Unitary Patent And Court Becomes Reality

• European Parliament Votes In Favour Of Patent System Reform

• MEPs back single European patent after 40 year delay

• Common EU patents can now be registered

• Parliament gives final nod to EU patent

• European Parliament approves single EU patent system

• 'Historic day' as EU patent deal ends 40-year wait

• European Commission - Directorate-General for Ente : Historic agreement on the European unitary patent package

• Pan-European patent in prospect after years of dispute

• EU comes up with novel patent idea - cut red tape

• Long-awaited EU patent backed by MEPs

• Single patent gets political nod

• EU patent progress

• EU Patent System Gets Green Light, May Make First Award in 2014

• EU Approves the Creation of Common Patent System for Bloc

• After Debating for Decades, EU Adopts Common Patent

• Single EU Patent Dream a Reality after Decades-Long Struggle

• EU Patent a ‘passport to creativity and growth’ says Euro MP

In the above reports too much attention is paid to cost of filing and languages while too little attention is paid to the real impact of patents on development. Here is better coverage:

• Unitary Patent: Keys for European Patent Office and Door to European Parliament





• 'Troll' warning as EU gets unitary patent scheme, after decades of failure





• EU Opens Itself Up To Massive Innovation-Hindering Patent Trolling





• Nokia and Ericsson urge European Parliament members to reject “seriously flawed” patent regulation proposal

• Top advisor rejects challenge to Europe's one-stop patent

• Top EU legal officer rejects Spain, Italy single patent case

• FSFE: European Parliament adopts unitary patent

• European unitary patent amendments

Here is another timely reminder of patent scope going awry. Joe Mullin, a patents sceptic, wrote about the latest development. Unitary Patent passed [1, 2] and Pamela Jones wrote: "Here's one problem that leaps off the page. If there is a unitary patent, if I am a patent troll in a country that doesn't allow software patents, I file in a country that is less restrictive, and now it's EU-wide legit. No? What am I missing?"

She linked to Open Forum Europe, a lobby with backers like IBM, which said "Unitary Patent – the EU should take more time to get it right"

To quote further: "After decades of impasse it now appears that lawmakers are trying to rush through a poor compromise in the last minute that may make matters worse, not better, for innovators in Europe, especially for those in the technology industry."

Here is the official babble from the press room. They don't address the issues we raised. Many of those involved are lawyers, so we are hardly surprised real stakeholders get ignored. ⬆