UK Small and Medium Enterprises welcome MEP Andrew Duff's call to action on EU Software Patents.

UK Small and Medium Enterprises have strongly welcomed Liberal Democrat MEP Andrew Duff's call to action on EU Software Patents. Andrew Duff has given his support to a new package of amendments to the Common Position of the Council of Ministers on the controversial 'directive on the patentability of computer-­implemented' inventions in a move to stop the introduction of software patents to the European Union. Mr Duff's action has been strongly welcomed by trade organizations and industry bodies across the UK.

MEPs will vote on the directive on 6 July, and the vote is likely to be close. The EPO has illegally granted 30000 software patents, most of which are held by US and Japanese companies. If the directive is passed without amendments, then these patents will become legally enforceable throughout the EU, making software development a legal minefield for SMEs. The European Parliament should send a clear signal on 6 July that software patents should not be permitted in the EU.

Aidan McGuire, of ZopeUK, said in a statement:

"We are delighted to see Mr Duff taking the initiative and supporting moves to thoroughly amend this controversial directive. This is an issue of great concern to SMEs and the economy of Europe as a whole. If software patents become the reality in Europe, then European software SMEs will be excluded from their home market by legal threats from larger foreign competitors. We fully support his stance."

Simon Juden, Chairman of the Professional Contractors Group said: "If the European Parliament doesn't seize this chance on 6 July, tens of thousands of businesses could be at risk. Many PCG members work in IT and they believe that software patents would be enormously harmful both to freelance developers and to any small or independent software developers. Software might look technical, but is in reality just a set of instructions to a computer; it should be no more patentable than the rules of chess."

The Professional Contractors Group (PCG), which represents thousands of independent freelancers, welcomes Mr Duff's support and says that MEPs have a golden opportunity to update Europe's patenting system for the 21st century when they vote on the "Software Patents" Directive.

Polly Purvis, Executive Director of ScotlandIS said:

"ScotlandIS, the trade body for Scotland's information and communications technologies (ICT) opposes the introduction of software patents in the European Union. Software development, like music and books, is already protected by copyright, and from a Scottish perspective it is difficult to see how software patents will benefit smaller software companies. Software patents granted too readily in the US are already being abused to the detriment of smaller companies.

ScotlandIS welcomes the sturdy defence by the Parliament to prevent the spread of software patents in Europe, and in particular welcomes statements by MEPs from the Liberal Democrats, Scottish Labour and the Scottish National Party to this effect. "

• Duff calls for MEPs to support new package on EU Software Patents http://www.andrewduffmep.org.uk/news/163.html