Summary: Another attempt at EU-US patent fusion and a call from French advocates (Jérémie Zimmermann et al.) to put an end to that

THE EU software patents situation is not getting better but it has not been getting worse, either. The fact that we keep reporting on crooked politicians can keep them shying away from harmful policies. Those who pursue the EU Patent have not made any considerable progress and there is veto from at least two large countries (Spain and Italy). James Love states that:

At US/EU IPR Working Group meeting, Qualcomm suggested USTR back EU style software patents, to get more global acceptance of sftw patents.

A shame really. The response from the FFII's president is that "EU style software patents means writing in the law the exclusion of software patents"

He also highlights this new page, noting that:

Veron starts website with patent case law in France

According to a new audio recording, claims the FFII's president, "Software patents are back via the Unitary Patent, says leading Free Software organisation APRIL" (which is involved in other areas). They recently complained about Barnier as well. Let's keep Europe -- and by extension the world -- free from software patents. The caselaws are not favourable to software patents in the EU. ⬆

“[The EPO] can’t distinguish between hardware and software so the patents get issued anyway."

--Marshall Phelps, Microsoft