FFII

EU still pushing for punitive measures against patent infringements in ACTA

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Brussels, 6 October 2010 — The negotiating parties published the consolidated Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) text. The following statement can be attributed to the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII):
“The EU still wants punitive measures against patent infringements in ACTA. In our opinion, this is irresponsible. The software field is plagued by patents and holders of huge patent portfolios could decide to eliminate competition from startups, small and medium sized enterprises and open source projects, on their own, or by using a proxy, a patent troll. The inclusion of patents in ACTA also could cause issues with regards to access to medicine, and even more with other technology not protected by the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health, including much wanted ‘green technology’.”

FFII

Belgian EU Presidency wrong about software patents, pushing for their validation

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Brussels, 5 October 2010 — In a radio interview held last Thursday, Mr Vincent Van Quickenborne, Belgian Minister of the Economy, tried to explain that the current situation concerning software patents in Europe was fine, and that the current plans are not intended to “change the patent system to make software programming more difficult”. The FFII says this is wrong, considering the thousands of software patents already granted by the European Patent Office (EPO). The Belgian Presidency is pushing for a central EU patent court, that will create caselaw in favour of software patents. Benjamin Henrion, President of the FFII, says: “Mr Van Quickenborne is throwing dust in the eyes of software developers. The reality is that the Belgian Presidency is pushing hard for a central patent court, that will validate software patents.

FFII

European Parliament wants Open Document exchange format for electronic business

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Strasbourg, Sept 21, 2010 — Today the European Parliament plenary adopted a report on completing the internal market for e-commerce prepared by Spanish rapporteur Pablo Arias Echeverría (EPP). The reports highlights the importance of an open document exchange format for electronic business interoperation and calls on the European Commission to take concrete steps to support its emergence and spread. “Excellent. In the past European programmes promoted an Open Document exchange format in the field of e-Government. Strasbourg wants the Commission to follow up on its successful activities, this time with an eye to electronic business needs.”, explains interoperability expert André Rebentisch.

FFII

Internet Governance Forum a beacon of openness

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Berlin, Sept 17th 2010 — This week the 5th meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF 2010) took place in Vilnius. The United Nations organised it as a multi-stakeholder dialogue on global internet governance which inherited from the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). The wide range of deliberations span from classical internet governance topics such as IPv6 to open standards, accessibility, public sector information, privacy, freedom of expression and other internet values. In a broad variety of working groups the IGF participants echoed a call for open standards and an open end-to-end internet safe from censorship. On the European side many Members of the European Parliament for instance Catherine Trautmann (S&D), Francisco Sosa Wagner (NI) and Amelia Andersdotter (PP) conveyed their passionate attention to open internet aspects.

FFII

When the Camembert tops democratic governance

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Berlin, Sept 15th 2010 — A European Parliament majority accepted a written declaration on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) which iterates the calls to European Commissioner Karel de Gucht for more legislative transparency. In a speech before the European Parliament Commissioner Karel De Gucht threatened the United States to leave negotiations when geographical indications would be “discriminated”, that is excluded from the scope of the negotiations on ACTA. Geographical indications cover, for instance, camembert de Normandie, parmesan cheese or champagne, and other marks of origin. The United States oppose their inclusion in ACTA. The United States also aim to keep the negotiated ACTA draft text confidential.

FFII

FFII advocates liberating public sector information to tackle the crisis

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Berlin, 12th Sept 2010 — The FFII calls for better access to public data for commercial and non-commercial purposes. A consultation is now open for public contributions. Citizens, companies, and stakeholders can weight in on opening data for re-use. “Governments should give the public free access to public data, since it has already been paid for with our taxes. Especially in the current economic crisis, free access to public data would immediately create opportunities for jobs and innovation, and spur software companies to create new applications”, explains FFII president Benjamin Henrion.

FFII

Citizens have a clear interest in being informed about ACTA, EU Ombudsman concludes

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Brussels, 27 July 2010 — According to the EU Ombudsman, citizens have a clear interest in being informed about the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Despite this, he concludes for formal reasons that there was no maladministration by the Council of the European Union when it denied access to the ACTA documents. The Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) had filed a complaint with the Ombudsman concerning the Council’s refusal to grant access to ACTA documents. The Ombudsman “agrees that the conclusion of the ACTA may indeed make it necessary for the EU to propose and enact legislation. In that case, the ACTA would constitute the sole or the major consideration underpinning that legislation, and citizens would have a clear interest in being informed about the ACTA.”

FFII

Narrow Bilski ruling leaves all options open for the future

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Washington, D.C., June 29th 2010 — The Supreme Court of the United States delivered its ruling on the Bilski landmark case yesterday. A split court issued a very narrow ruling, avoiding broad decisions on patentability. The Court explicitly refused to weigh in on the scope and limits of the patent system, stating that “nothing in this opinion should be read to take a position on where that balance ought to be struck”. “We are pleased, but we feel the Supreme Court did not go far enough in banning all patents on abstract ideas such as software and business methods”, comments Benjamin Henrion on the outcome. The President of the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) has a 10 years record of promoting patent reforms in the European Union, often to prevent “deterioration to US patenting standards”.

FFII

European Parliament – Open Internet essential for EU homeland security

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Strasbourg defends an internet governed by openness principles and expresses its concerns over technological dependencies on dominant market solutions. Today the European Parliament sitting adopted a report “Internet Governance – the next steps” from rapporteur Francisco Sosa Wagner. The report directs the European involvement in the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) process at the United Nations. The European Parliament wants the internet to stay an open, vendor-neutral infrastructure. “The European Parliament demonstrates its deep understanding of the internet governance issues at hand”, explains FFII general secretary André Rebentisch.

FFII

Still no ‘safe harbour’ in sight for wireless technologies in Europe

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Berlin, May 27th 2010 — Following a recent high court judgement in Germany wireless networks are becoming a legal concern for consumers running open WiFi hotspots. Lawyers and lobby organisations are sending automated cease and desist letters to consumers who have an “insecure” WiFi access point, accusing them of helping unauthorized file sharing by offering open WiFi internet connections. “The campaign against WiFi open access is misguided. You may also use a phone to issue a bomb threat, but that does not seem a valid argument for banning public phone booths”, argues René Mages, vice president of the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII). A year and a half ago the European Parliament urged the European Commission to examine measures to provide a ‘safer harbour’ for wireless technology.