Madam, - The recent decision by EU industry ministers under the chairmanship of the Tánaiste, Mary Harney, to reject nearly all of the European Parliament's amendments to the controversial software patents draft directive proposed by the Commission in 2002 is deeply regrettable.
On May 17th-18th the EU's Competitiveness Council caved in to intensive industry lobbying and turned down 99 of the 120 amendments tabled by the European Parliament last September.
It was deeply disappointing, but not surprising, that the Irish Government did not vote against this move, like the Spanish, or abstain, like the Italian, Austrian and Belgian governments.
The parliament's vote last year was very clear - against the patenting of software per se but for strict interpretations and criteria for genuine inventions.
Thankfully, the decision by the Tánaiste and the industry ministers is not the final word. The new European Parliament will return to this issue in the autumn. - Yours, etc.,
PROINSIAS DE ROSSA, MEP, Vice-President, Socialist Group, European Parliament.