Brinkhorst: Danish decision about software patents made in backroom
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According to explanations given by Dutch minister Laurens Jan Brinkhorst in the Dutch Parliament, the decision about software patents was taken at a dinner before the public session. The official statements given at that session, such as Denmark's request for a B-Item, were only a kind of theater performance and had no real substance, according to Brinkhorst's explanation.
WebWereld reports that the decision about softwarepatents has possibly been made beforehand.
The article quotes Brinkhorst:
- I can only guess about the motives Denmark had to make it clear,
before the of the Council already, that it would not insist on a B-item.
Which seems to originate from the stenographic report on the site of the Dutch Parliament about Tuesday's debate. More information available on Dutch debat on March 10th.
The interesting part however, is that it also mentions that the Ministry of Economic affairs confirmed there has been a dinner:
- The Ministry of Economic affairs would not consider it strange if there had been discussion beforehand. "It is quite possible that in the context of the dinner there has been a discussion, but I do not know" says spokesperson Paula de Jonge. She cannot say if Minister Brinkhorst has taken part in it and does not want to check it. The spokesperson of the Luxembourg Council President did not react to repeated request for comments.
A week earlier, on Tuesday, the minister had already said in a debate there would be a dinner (Algemeen Overleg vaste Kamercommissie Economische Zaken, March 1st).
