Re: Oriol Ferran (Catalan government) speaks against software patents as debated in the EU
> This is a Press Release from the Catalan government in text and PDF.
> It's dated 25.11.2004
> It appears today at the administration founded portal on free software lafarga.org
> http://www.lafarga.org/node/view/195
>
> Feel free to spread. Sorry but I don't have time now to find out my password
Password is aktiv.ffii.org password, if you have forgotten it you can
still have an email sent to you that enables you to reset it.
> and rules to put in kwiki.ffii.org
Entry barrier is very low there, other people (like me) clean up if you don't
take all the rules into account.
Putting a text on
http://kwiki.ffii.org/Catal041125En
would be enough.
> or send to the proper list.
If you send to media-help at ffii org, there should be people there who
put it on kwiki.
> The English translation is mine, as are any errors there. The English needs proofreading/corrections
> Context:
>
> The Catalan government has no say in the council, but together with
> past pressure from Extremadura, València, Andalucia and potentially
> other administrations with free software projects, adds to pressure
> against swpats in the Spanish government. Politically, the Catalan
> government is held by a coalition of Partit Socialista de Catalunya
> (in PSE), Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (in ALE=EFA Greens) i
> Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds (in European Greens, Greens EFA too).
> The Spanish government is held by Partido Socialista Obrero Español,
> (in PSE) close to PSC. The other groups are friendly in the Spanish
> congress and helped invest the Spanish government.
>
>
> Catalan government (Generalitat de Catalunya) is at:
> http://www.gencat.net
>
> -----------
> Catalan
> -----------
>
> Nota de premsa 25.11.04
> ORIOL FERRAN ES MOSTRA CONTRARI A LES PATENTS DE PROGRAMARI QUE ESTUDIA LA UNIÓ EUROPEA
>
> El Consell de la Competitivitat de la UE ha ajornat avui la seva deliberació sobre la qüestió
>
> El Secretari de Telecomunicacions i Societat de la Informació, Oriol Ferran, va reafirmar ahir dimecres, en el marc d'un sopar de treball de la Asociación de Empresas de Electrónica, Tecnologías de la Información y Telecomunicaciones de l'Estat espanyol (AETIC), el compromís del govern de la Generalitat amb el programari lliure i els estàndards oberts i es va posicionar en contra de les patents de programari.
>
> Segons va explicar Oriol Ferran, interpel·lat per un empresari desenvolupador de programari, les propostes d'aquesta directiva que debat el Consell de la Competitivitat de la Unió Europea ?van en contra de la innovació i l'essència dels plantejaments que defensa i proposa el model de desenvolupament del programari lliure?.
>
> En la seva intervenció Oriol Ferran també va celebrar el posicionament de l'Estat espanyol que el passat més de maig va votar en contra de la proposta. La darrera setmana altres governs com el de Polònia han manifestat la seva oposició a la patentabilitat del programari, així com també ho han fet recentment els parlaments d'Holanda i Alemanya.
>
> Ferran va lamentar que ?el posicionament clar i contundent del Parlament Europeu, que va votar en contra les patents ara fa un any, sigui posat en qüestió des del Consell?. El Consell de la Competitivitat de la UE, que s'havia de reunir aquest dijous a Brussel·les, ha ajornat el seu posicionament sobre la directiva.
>
> El conseller d'Universitat, Recerca i Societat de la Informació, Carles Solà, que repetidament ha refermat el compromís del Govern amb el programari lliure, va manifestar-se en contra de les patents de programari en l'acte de presentació de LaFarga.Org que es va celebrar el passat 8 d'octubre.
>
> Solà es va afegir en aquell moment a l'oposició del moviment del programari lliure als monopolis i patents, perquè condicionen la innovació a diferència dels codis oberts. L'elevat cost d'una patent pot marginar moltes petites i mitjanes empreses o comprometre recursos econòmics que es podrien destinar a la innovació.
>
> -----------
> English
> -----------
>
>
> Press release
> Oriol Ferran (Catalan government) speaks against software patents as debated in the EU
>
> Today the Competitivity Counciol of Ministers of the EU has delayed
> its deliberation on the matter.
>
> The Secretary for Telecommunications and Information Society in the
> Department for Universities, Research and Information Society in the
> Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan government) reaffirmed yesterday
> (wednesday 2004.11.24), in a work dinner by the "Asociación de
> Empresas de Electrónica, Tecnologías de la Información y
> Telecomunicaciones" (AETIC) (the Spanish member association of EICTA),
> the Catalan government compromise with free software and open
> standards and took a stance against software patents.
>
> Oriol Ferran explained, answering a software development manager, that the
> proposals for this directive that the Competitivity Council of the EU
> is debating are contrary to innovation and the essence of the concepts
> defended and proposed by the free software development model.
>
> In his speech Oriol Ferran also endorsed the position of the Spanish
> state which last may voted against the proposal. Last week other
> governments such as Poland voiced their opposition to software
> patentability, like lately did the Dutch and German Parliaments.
>
> Ferran lamented that the clear and firm stance of the European
> Parliament, which voted against software patents one year ago, is
> being questioned by the Council. The Competitivity Council, which was
> to meet this thursday in Brussels, has postponed its decision on the
> directive.
>
> The head of the Department of University, Research and Information
> Society, conseller Carles Solà, which has repeatedly insisted on the
> government compromise with free software, spoke against software
> patents in the presentation of laFarga.org (a government founded
> portal on free software in Catalonia) held on october the 8th.
>
> Solà in that occasion joined the opposition to monopolies and patents
> by the free software movement, because they encumber innovation, unlike open
> source. The high cost of a patent may discriminate against many SMEs
> or divert resources that could have been allocated to innovation.
>
>
> --
> - jo també vull una Europa lliure de patents de programari -
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> EuropeSwPatentFree - http://EuropeSwPatentFree.hispalinux.es
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> http://patents.caliu.info
>
> Xavi Drudis Ferran
> xdrudis@tinet.org
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