Plenary amendments: draft voting advice
-> [ français ] [ Amendments | Analysis ]
The most important amendments of all are those to Articles 4.1, 4.2, 5.2 and 6a; there is also a serious error in JURI amendment 20 to Art 3.1, which must be corrected.
See also: Collated full text of the amendments, and more detailed explanation of FFII's voting advice
NB: final voting advice may evolve, depending on final vote sequence; what split votes are allowed; last-minute compromise amendments (if any); and what amendments the tabling office deems are compatible or incompatible with which other amendments. If amendments are ruled to conflict, this may require some amendments currently shown as + to be downgraded to - . The current advice is therefore a preliminary guide only.
Revision 2.0.0 (Monday, 21:30 CET)
clause |
topic |
amend # |
source |
advice |
comment |
REJECTION |
Reject the directive outright |
62=65=71 |
Greens; GUE; Ind Dem; ALDE |
+ |
Balanced question, but better to think again |
ARTICLES |
|
|
|
|
|
A1 |
Scope |
40=72=93=114=135=158 |
Coalition 1 |
++ |
"computer-aided inventions" throughout |
|
|
14 |
JURI 14 |
+ |
"computer-controlled inventions", here only |
A2(a) |
Definition: CAI/CII |
41=73=94=115=136=159 |
Coalition 2 |
++ |
requires "invention in the sense of patent law" |
|
|
15 |
JURI 15 |
+ |
|
A2(b) |
Definition: Technical contribution |
42=74=95=116=137=160 |
Coalition 3 |
++ |
removes the extra "technical" |
|
|
16 |
JURI 16 |
+ |
contains one extra "technical" |
A2(b)a |
Definition: Field of Technology |
43=61=75=96=117=138=161 |
Coalition 4, EPP Kauppi/Lehne |
+ |
"Applied natural science" |
|
|
17 |
JURI 17 |
+ |
"Application domain requiring forces of nature" |
A2(b)b |
Definition: Technical |
18 |
JURI 18 |
+ |
uncontroversial |
A2(b)c |
Definition: Interoperability |
19 |
JURI 19 |
+ |
useful |
A2(b)c' |
def Computer, Computer Program |
44=76=97=118=139=162 |
Coalition 5 |
+ |
|
A3 |
Patent requirements |
45=77=98=119=140=163 |
Coalition 6 |
++ |
Clear statement of requirements |
|
|
20 |
JURI 20 |
+/-- |
Serious error, allows non-technical patenting |
A3.2 |
Disclosure |
21 |
JURI 21 |
+ |
A basic requirement of patent law |
A3(a) |
Data Processing not a field of technology |
156 |
Panella, Bonino et al |
+ |
|
A4.1 |
Interpretation of "as such" |
46=78=99=120=141=164 |
Coalition 7 |
VITAL |
Whole purpose of the directive is to explain "as such" |
|
|
157 |
Panella, Bonino et al |
+ |
Programs for computers are not inventions |
A4.2 |
Exclusions from patentability |
47=79=100=121=142=165 |
Coalition 8 |
VITAL |
Higher barrier needed than Council text |
A4.3 |
Exclusions from patentability |
59=91=112=132=154=177 |
Coalition 20 |
+ |
Not just improvements to the programming |
A5.1 |
Patent claims |
22 |
JURI 22 |
+ |
Technical product or process only |
A5.2 |
Program claims |
48=80=101=122=143=166 |
Coalition 9 |
VITAL |
No program claims |
|
|
66 |
ALDE Bowles |
? |
No program claims, but catches legitimate uses |
A5.2a |
Freedom of publication |
49=81=102=123=144=167 |
Coalition 10 |
+ |
|
A5.2a |
Patents and copyright |
64 |
ALDE Prodi |
- |
|
A5.2a' |
Limitation on patent claims |
23 |
JURI 23 |
+ |
Only what's claimed |
A5.2b |
Limitation on program claims |
24 |
JURI 24 |
o |
False comfort |
A6a |
Interoperability |
50=82=103=124=145=168 |
Coalition 11 |
VITAL |
Interoperability exception |
|
|
68 |
Mann/McCarthy |
+ |
Interoperability exception, except for (F)RAND standards |
|
|
67 |
UEN Crowley |
- |
RAND Interoperability, subject to Art 30 TRIPS |
|
|
63 |
EPP Kauppi/Purvis |
- |
RAND Interoperability, fewer injunctions |
|
|
25 |
JURI 25 |
- |
RAND Interoperability |
A7 to 8a |
misc requests to Commission |
26 to 39 |
JURI 26 to 39 |
* |
not yet analysed |
|
|||||
RECITALS |
|
|
|
|
|
R5a |
Art 52 EPC |
1 |
JURI 1 |
+ |
Directive is to confirm and clarify Art 52 EPC |
R6 |
TRIPS |
51=83=104=125=146=169 |
Coalition 12 |
+ |
Clarify TRIPS does not require s/w patents |
R7 |
Art 52 EPC |
52=84=105=126=147=170 |
Coalition 13 |
+ |
Interpretation of Art 52 EPC |
R8a |
Directive & EPO |
2 |
JURI 2 |
+ |
States should respect this directive in negotiations |
R8b |
Directive & EPO |
3 |
JURI 3 |
+ |
States should press EPO to follow directive |
R9 |
Economic considerations |
53=85=106=127=148=171 |
Coalition 14 |
+ |
Awareness of positives and negatives |
R10 |
Patents and copyright |
54=86=107=128=149=172 |
Coalition 15 |
+ |
Software ideas should remain open to all |
R10a |
Technical contribution |
4 |
JURI 4 |
- |
Duplicative and over-broad definition |
R11 |
Requirements for Patentability |
60=92=113=134=155=178 |
Coalition 21 |
+ |
Invention/innovation |
|
|
5 |
JURI 5 |
+ |
Full statement of the requirements |
R12 |
Technical contribution |
55=87=108=129=150=173 |
Coalition 16 |
+ |
Tech contribution a test of invention |
|
|
6 |
JURI 6 |
- |
TC a test of inventive step (wrong). |
R13 |
No technical contribution |
56=88=109=130=151=174 |
Coalition 17 |
+ |
No tech contribution => No invention |
R14a |
Data Processing |
7 |
JURI 7 |
? |
Doesn't mean physical data acquisition |
R15 |
Technical contribution (continued) |
8 |
JURI 8 |
+ |
Linguistic correction to FR language version |
R16 |
Algorithms |
57=89=110=131=152=175 |
Coalition 18 |
+ |
Cannot be a technical invention in itself |
R17a |
Disclosure |
9 |
JURI 9 |
+ |
Re-statement of basic patent law |
R19 (S) |
Limitation of Directive Scope |
58=90=111=132=153=176 |
Coalition 19 |
+ |
Delete - Speaks of non technical inventions |
R20 |
Community competitiveness |
10 |
JURI 10 |
+ |
Remove unnecessary questionable assertion |
R20a |
Patents & SMEs |
11 |
JURI 11 |
+/- |
Set up new committee; "patents help SMEs" |
R20a' |
Interoperability |
69 |
Mann/McCarthy |
+ |
def Standards body for Am 68 |
R20b |
Interoperability |
70 |
Mann/McCarthy |
+ |
def (F)RAND for Am 68 |
R21 |
Competition Law |
12 |
JURI 12 |
+ |
Don't restrict to interoperability |
R21a |
Monitoring |
13 |
JURI 13 |
+ |
More research on patents and SMEs |
