[ILUG] Patents Rejected!

[Paul Jakma]

On Wed, 6 Jul 2005, Niall Walsh wrote:

> During a long nights viewing of yesterday's debate I was impressed 
> by just how much influence the FOSS community has had on this 
> issue.  Our impact could be heard in virtually every speakers 
> words.

Nice.

> What was particularly sweet was hearing one Finnish MEP say that our
> oppositions lobby needed to sort themselves out as they were roundly
> thrashed.

;)

> Glad to see the Commission has been firmly told no, though as Kathy 
> Sinnott said what was really required was for every last amendment 
> which helped limit patentability to be approved.

Wouldn't have mattered - then McCreevy would have just rejected the 
amended directive.

As Gay Mitchell informed me in an email, the EP has no mandate to 
introduce directives nor to propose amendments. Through an 
understanding they can make "suggestions" (essentially), but EC is 
free to ignore them.

Their only real power is veto power, of ever-increasing difficulty 
(it seems).

Hence, another thing to *strongly* lobby for is more power devolved 
to EP. I think I prefer the EP to the EC.

regards,
-- 
Paul Jakma	paul at clubi.ie	paul at jakma.org	Key ID: 64A2FF6A
Fortune:
Q:	Why is Christmas just like a day at the office?
A:	You do all of the work and the fat guy in the suit
 	gets all the credit.