The European Commission is refusing to start the debate over software patents, and compaigners are - understandably - getting their knickers in a twist. From ZDNet:
The European Commission (EC) has rejected requests to rewrite the Computer Implemented Inventions Directive (CIID), sparking a furious response from campaigners who accused the EC of acting undemocratically.
An EC spokesman confirmed on Monday that the Commission had declined requests from the European Parliament to go back to basics on the CIID, which opponents claim will allow the widespread patenting of software in Europe.
"We expect the European Council to formalise the common position. The Commission stands ready to review all aspects of the directive," said the EC spokesman, adding that this meant that changes could yet be made to the directive when it reaches the European Parliament.
It comes on the back of our stories about how the BBC's online operations could be under threat as the commission reviews public service broadcasters and their role in digital development.
These moves in Europe have got very little mainstream press - probably because it's quite a convoluted subject and not very sexy. But there's a lot at stake here, especially when you consider that the big hitters pay thousands to lobby the legislature while.
And, at the heart of it all, the decision-making process is pretty much unaccountable - the best we, as citizens, can do is try to keep tabs on it.
