* The EPO is not part of the EU framework and thus has limited interest in the EU community patent or any initiative as part of the EU framework unless the Commission and Council bow down to the EPO leadership and won’t strengthen the role of national patent offices.

* “opening its doors to software patents without the necessary consultation.” –> They have a process for the Brimelow referral G03/08. However, this is not “political”.

* Microsoft is not lobbying much on that. If they do, then because they reflect public preconceptions about what Microsoft is supposed to want here.

* As of the Commission Communication document consider what department it comes from and what the main objective of the report is: “A Strategy for ICT R&D and Innovation in Europe: Raising the Game”. You will hardly find a EU innovation policy document that does not mention patents one way or the other and it is pretty low level. Also for the Czech presidency the project is almost faded out. What it is indeed about is ICT keynesianism and observers are right when they find key industry lobby messages reflected.