Current events
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Contents
Australia
The patent office of Australia has issued various calls for comment during 2009 and will make recommendations to the Government. This suggests the Government will soon review the patent laws, so there will be an opportunity to exclude software ideas from patentability.
Europe
In Europe, as of mid-2010, the primary worries are:
- European Commission's survey on patents in standards (Deadline 17 Sep 2010)
- The Community patent:
- The United Patent Litigation System (UPLS)
Petition to stop software patents in Europe
The Petition to stop software patents in Europe. has been launched to help keep software patents out of the Community patent scope. If you live or work in the EU, please sign it.
See also: Category:European Union
(plus Switzerland)
External links
- digitalmajority.org an wikidot-hosted website with regular, good quality news focussed on Europe (The articles and comments on this site reflect the views and opinions of their authors and do not represent an official statement by the FFII or the admins of this site.)
Latin America
In Latin America the main threat of software patents comes from trade agreements, principally from the USA but also some with support from Europe and Japan.
World trade agreements are also a worry.
In Costa Rica, the patent office is granting software patents.
Possible problems also exist in the countries which have signed up to the Free Trade Area of the Americas such as Colombia, Peru, and Chile. According to some, this agreement requires the signatories to accept USA patents, but this is far from clear.
Related pages on ESP Wiki
(See Category:Latin America)
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Cuba
- Discuss this wiki in Portuguese
- Discuss this wiki in Spanish
- Mexico
- Patent office practice in Venezuela
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Brazil
- 2012: March -> May 15th: patent office consultation on software patents. See: Brazil
New Zealand
(Last checked: September 2009)
There is a proposal in-progress for a new Patents Bill with no limits on software patents. All details are on:
India
(Last checked August 2009)
The 2008 patents manual proposal is still in progress. All details are on:
Israel
(Last checked November 2009)
In Israel, the patent office is holding a public consultation about software patents with a deadline of February 15th 2010.
USA
Global or quasi-global
(Last checked September 2009)
- Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement - this is in active negotiation
