FYI
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Brussels 2005-02-17: Software Patents Day
Date: Wed, 9 Feb 2005 11:20:55 +0100
From: FFII <feedback [ at ] ffii [ dot ] org>
To: kkoum [ at ] grnet [ dot ] gr
Dear FFII supporter[1],
It is time to stand up for European democracy. Talk to
your government. Join the demonstration. There will be
a major confrontation in Brussels on February 17th 2005
( see http://demo.ffii.org/demo0502/ ).
Last week, the European Parliament's Legal Affairs (JURI)
Committee asked to restart the legislative process on software
patents, but this request is still in danger:
- The EU Council is planning to adopt its outdated "political
agreement" on software patents at a meeting of the finance
ministers on February 17th. Poland can not be expected to
stop it again on its own. Another country has to take the
initiative (but will receive support from Poland).
- Once the Council adopts its "agreement", the Commission may
choose to ignore the Parliament's request for a restart of the
procedure.
- We can not be sure that under such circumstances the European
Parliament's Conference of Presidents (which also meets on
the 17th) will opt for a confrontation.
Thus it is still possible that we end up with a 2nd reading,
with all its dangers[2].
In this critical situation we need your help.
If you reply to this mail and tick any of the following items,
we will try to provide some assistance and coordination.
[ ] I will try to contact my national government and ask them to
oppose a Council meeting agenda containing the software
patent directive, at least not before the Commission has
answered the European Parliament's request, or/and to ask
for renegotiation in the Council (B-item).
[ ] I will try to contact the European Commission and ask them
to answer the European Parliament's request ASAP.
[ ] I will try to come to Brussels on February 17th to join the
demonstration and press conference
[ ] I would like to call on MEPs to join the demo / press
conference
[ ] I would like to contact media and press agencies.
[ ] I will help organise car pools or busses from my region
to Brussels.
[ ] I will place a banner or protest page on my website and
register my participation via the aktiv web interface[3]
[ ] I will contact some important websites and ask them to
participate
[ ] I will donate (http://donate.ffii.org/)
We hope to hear from you and to see you in Brussels.
--
Holger Blasum, Christian Cornelssen, Benjamin Henrion, Erik
Josefsson, Felix Klee, Jonas Maebe, Jan Wildeboer
[1] This mail was sent to kkoum in https://aktiv.ffii.org/, for
regional contacts see also http://www.ffii.org/~arebenti/ekarte/
[2] http://swpat.ffii.org/letters/juri0502/
[3] http://www.ffii.org/ffii-cgi/eintrag?m=netstrike