Hi,
Bad EU behaviour. :-(
source: http://lwn.net/Articles/84301/
Regards,
Erwin Moller (The Netherlands)
================================================== =============================
EU Council Plans to Scrap Parliamentary Vote without Discussion
================================================== =============================
2004/05/07
For immediate Release
The EU Council of Ministers is demonstrating that the concept of
democracy is alien to the EU. This Wednesday, the Irish Presidency
managed to secure a qualified majority for a counter-proposal to the
software patents directive, with only a few countries - including
Belgium and Germany - showing resistance. The new text proposes to
discard all the amendments from the European which would limite
patentability. Instead the lax language of the original Commission
proposal is to be reinstated in its entirety, with direct patentability
of computer programs, data structures and process descriptions added as
icing on the cake. The proposal is now scheduled to be confirmed without
discussion at a meeting of ministers on 17-18 May, unless one of the
Member States changes its vote. In a remarkable sign of unity in times
of imminent elections, members of the European Parliament from all
groups across the political spectrum are condemning this blatant
disrespect for democracy in Europe.
