Re: [Fsfe-uk] EU swpat - Ag and Fish attempt 2

[Philip Hands]

Roger Leigh wrote:
> Philip Hands <address@hidden> writes:
>
>
> > > MJ Ray wrote:
> > >
> > > > Tom Potts let ALUG know that the swpat directive has been put up to the
> > > > Ag and Fish council again, after Poland blocked it in December. Link-heavy
> > > > page is at http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20050121034203123
> > >
> > > Just been on the phone to DEFRA, and it seems that the contact details
> > > for Margaret Beckett (our minister in question as far as I can work
> > > out) is:
> > >
> > >   address@hidden
> > >
> > > I suggest we fill her mailbox with a storm of protest.
>
>
> What exactly does Agriculture and Fisheries have to do with software
> patents?  Surely that council is responsible for agriculture and
> fisheries?

I think that's rather the point.

The sneaky lawyers who want to get rich by parasitising our industry were 
hoping that the dumb farmers wouldn't notice that this directive was being 
 shoved through their council.

Thankfully, last time they tried that the Polish minister was awake enough 
to tell them where to shove their directive.  Clearly they intend to keep 
on trying in the hope that eventually they'll get away with it.  It seems 
that if everyone in the room gently snores through the entire meeting, it 
gets accepted by default --- isn't EC politics great?  ;-)

That being the case, it's probably best to make sure that our minister gets 
the impression that MPs and MEPs are watching what they're doing.  It would 
be good if she were prompted to ask why it is that a patent directive is 
being misdirected through the Agriculture and Fisheries route for a second 
try.  To that end, I've written the Secretary of State, and to my MP and a 
couple of my MEPs.

For getting in touch with MP/MEPs you may find this helpful:

  http://www.writetothem.com/

Cheers, Phil.

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