FFII

FFII call on donations against Unitary Software Patent Trolls after disastrous Bundestag vote

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Berlin-Brussels, 26 nov 2020 — The Bundestag has voted today on the Unitary Patent, the third attempt to validate software patents in Europe. FFII is calling on software companies all over Europe and the free and open source (FLOSS) community to urgently donate to crowdfund a constitutional complaint, as the UPC will promote patent trolls and job destruction, without the possibility for the CJEU to have a say in patent law. Only Constitutional Courts can save us from the UPC and its Patent Trolls. CDU/CSU/SPD ate the propaganda of the “cheaper” patent for SMEs, while the UPC will increase the costs of access to justice for SMEs. The German Ministry of Justice Christine Lambrecht (SPD) refused to procure an “impact analysis” for SMEs, relying on an “outdated” and “full of errors” analysis from 2009, while the UPCA treaty was signed in 2012, and expensive court fees of 20.000EUR (validity) and 10.000EUR (infringement) will worsen the case of SMEs to access justice.

FFII

Is Germany competing with Hungary and Poland on the “Worst Rule of Law Award” with its rushed ratification of the Unitary Patent?

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PDF version here: ffii-upc-bundestag-europeDownload

“The possibility to sue an administrative body, such as the EPO, for maladministration before the courts is one of the fundamental pillars of our western democracies, also called the “Rule of Law” (TFEUart2) and [..] is spectacularly absent from the Unified Patent Court.” Open Letter to the Bundestag and EU institutions: is Germany competing with Hungary and Poland on the “Worst Rule of Law Award” with its rushed ratification of the Unitary Patent? Berlin-Brussels, 23 November 2020.Dear Members of the Bundestag,Dear Members of the European Parliament,Dear Members of the Council,Dear German Presidency of the EU,Dear Chancellor Merkel,Dear Commissioner Von Der Leyen,Dear Commissioner Reynders,Dear Commissioner Breton,FFII e.V. is a pan-European alliance of software companies and independent software developers, defending the rights to a free and competitive software creation since 1999. Over the years, more then 3,000 software companies accross Europe have supported our calls against software patenting, among which 1,100 German ones. With the Unitary Patent project, we are at the third attempt to validate software patents in Europe. The previous 2 first attempts to change the law (EPC2000 and the 2005 software patent directive) failed.This Wednesday 25th november 2020, the Legal Affairs committee of the Bundestag will vote on the ratification by Germany of the Unitary Patent and its Court [ref1].

FFII

Unitary Patent: Germany is ignoring Brexit, European law, its Constitutional Court and Italians

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[ Press release – Germany / Europe / Italy / Economy / Patent ]

Brussels and Berlin, 15th June 2020 – The German government is pushing for a second vote on the Unitary Patent at the Bundestag. By signing an international treaty with the UK as signatory, Germany is ignoring Brexit, and will violate EU law. The government has resorted to a very creative interpretation of the agreement in order to ignore the Brexit problem, showing its dedication to see the UPC agreement entering into force ‘whatever it takes’, at the risks of alienating Italy, with an automatic relocation of the UPC court from London to Paris instead of Milan. With the German Presidency starting in a few weeks, Germany risks to undermine the functioning the European Union. Here is the very creative explanation of the Ministry of Justice to ignore the Brexit problem (translated from German), published in its draft law last thursday:

The fact that Great Britain broke the Convention as a result of Brexit does not prevent its implementation: the Regulations for entry into force of the Convention and its rules should ensure that all three are involved in the contract States, the Federal Republic of Germany, France and Great Britain, already participate in the judicial system at the start of the Unified Patent Court.[…]Regardless of the fact that UK approval currently exists a departure from Great Britain has no influence on the applicability of the entry into force regulations in any case because these are to be interpreted in such a way that if one of these three states can not be foreseen by anyone, the entire entry into force for the does not hinder remaining participants.

FFII

Germany can no longer ratify the Unitary Patent due to Brexit and the established AETR case-law, says FFII

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PRESS RELEASE — [ Europe / Brexit / Patent / Democracy / Economy / Software ]
Berlin, 19 feb 2020 — Germany cannot ratify the current Unitary Patent due to Brexit and the established AETR case-law. The ratification of the UPC (Unified Patent Court) by Germany would constitute a violation of the AETR case-law, which was used during the EPLA negotiations in 2006 to consider a deal with non-EU countries, such as Switzerland. FFII says that if Germany proceeds with the ratification, it will open up the possibility for a second constitutional complaint. The Unitary Patent signals the third attempt to validate and expand software patents in Europe. Following Brexit, the UPC has become a different kind of agreement, whose validity passes now under the supranational jurisdiction and competence of the EU (Articles 216/218 TFEU).

FFII

Einheitspatent in Deutschland nicht mehr ratifizierbar nach dem Brexit aufgrund des AETR-Urteils

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PRESSEMITTEILUNG — [ Europa / Brexit / Patent / Demokratie / Wirtschaft / Software ]
Berlin, 19. Februar 2020 — Mit Inkrafttreten des Brexit ist es Deutschland nicht mehr möglich, das Abkommen über das Einheitspatent (Unitary Patent) zu ratifizieren, teilt das FFII mit. Im Zusammenhang mit der Ratifizierung des AETR  (22/70) hat der Europäsche Gerichtshof Rechtsgrundsätze aufgestellt, die während der Verhandlungen 2006 dazu führten, dass nicht-EU-Staaten, wie die Schweiz, ausgeschlossen wurden. Das FFII ist der Ansicht, dass bei einer Ratifizierung in Deutschland eine erneute Verfassungsbeschwerde vielversprechend ist. Das Einheitspatent ist ein dritter Anlauf, um Software-Patente in Europa durchzusetzen.

FFII

L’Allemagne ne peut ratifier le Brevet Unitaire à cause du Brexit et de l’AETR, dit la FFII

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COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE – [ Europe / Brexit / Brevet / Démocratie / Economie / Logiciel ]

Berlin, 19 février 2020 – L’Allemagne n’a pas le droit de ratifier l’actuel brevet unitaire suite au Brexit et à la jurisprudence de l’AETR, selon FFII. La ratification de l’UPC par l’Allemagne constituerait désormais une violation de la jurisprudence AETR, qui a été utilisée lors des négociations sur l’EPLA en 2006 pour considérer un accord avec des pays tiers, comme la Suisse. La FFII indique que si l’Allemagne procède à la ratification, cela ouvrirait la possibilité d’un deuxième recours constitutionnel. Le brevet unitaire est la troisième tentative de validation des brevets logiciels en Europe. À la suite du Brexit, l’UPC devient un accord de différente catégorie, qui relève de la compétence externe de l’Union Européenne (articles 216/218 TFUE).

FFII

Github installs upload filters to comply with new EU copyright directive

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PRESS RELEASE — [ Europe / Democracy / Censorship / Economy / Copyright ]
Brussels, 01 April 2019 – Github has installed upload filters over the week-end to comply with the new european copyright directive on ‘upload filters’. Microsoft lawyers have been busy interpreting the new exception for “open source code sharing platforms” that the directive provides. They came to the conclusion that Github was not covered by the exception, since it also hosts many code repositories without a proper open source LICENSE file. Jürgen Voss, open source developer for Bosch, says: “This Sunday I tried to push some changes via Github, some commits were refused because Github installed some copyright filters. The pre-git-commit-hook message was complaining about “citation too long”, as I was quoting an article from IAMBIASED IP magazine.

FFII

FFII call on national parliaments to reverse soviet-style internet upload filters

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PRESS RELEASE – [ Europe / Democracy / Censorship / Economy / Copyright ]

Brussels, 29 March 2019 – FFII is calling on angry protesters against internet upload filters to reverse the position of their country by calling for a vote in their national parliament. Council of the Ministers is an undemocratic institution where decisions on this particular subject are made by officials of the Member States’s ministries of culture. FFII call on national parliaments to ‘take back control’. The adoption of internet upload filters is a strategic mistake that will fuel the eurosceptics game at the coming elections. Boris Johnson’s reaction to european parliament vote yesterday left no doubt about it.

Events

OpenTechSummit 2015 in Berlin a Fantastic Success

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The OpenTechSummit 2015 took place for the first time in Berlin on May 14, 2015 with the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure as a core partner and supporter. With more than 700 attendees – from policy makers, developers, start-ups, to contributors – and over 70 speakers the event was a huge success. A wonderful atmosphere came up through the participation of lots of kids in the hacking area and in the workshops. Topics at the OpenTechSummit range from future technologies, open hardware, encyclopedias, open data and free knowledge, software development, community networks and digital policies. The FFII was the main responsible for the track “Internet, Society and Patents”.

Events

OpenTechSummit 2015 Berlin May 14

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The OpenTechSummit will take place for the first time in Berlin on May 14, 2015 with the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure as a core partner and supporter. The Free and Open Source technology event brings together policy makers, developers, start-ups, and contributors. Topics at the OpenTechSummit range from future technologies, open hardware, encyclopedias, open data and free knowledge, software development, community networks and digital policies. In the evening there will be an “OpenTech-Himmelfahrt” lounge. The FFII is the main responsible for the track “Internet, Society and Patents”.