The software patent battle in Brussels is at full force, and we are feeling the strain. Here's an interesting quote I read a few days ago in the Financial Times, which comments on the decision by the European parliament's legislative committee to recommend adopting the Commission's pro-software patents text:
Mark MacGann, president of Eicta, an association of technology groups
that support patents, said: "European industry is satisfied with the
outcome of today's vote. We will now urge the entire parliament to
follow suit. It is a pretty good result."
Eicta's members include companies such as EADS, Intel, Microsoft,
Motorola, Nokia, Philips, SAP, Siemens, Sony and Sun.
What a most interesting understanding of European Industry. Not only did Mr MacGann nonchalantly leave out the entire field of small and medium enterprises,
which provide the bulk of Europe's economic activity, especially in the software sector.
It is also news to me that Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, Sony and Sun should be counted as "European". I'm not blowing the nationalist tune here; it's just a question of where these companies employ people and pay taxes.
But all in all, I believe we should be thankful to EICTA for clarifying this. After all, the members of the European parliament should know in whose interest they are making their decisions.
