On September, 13th, 2013, over 460 companies from all over Europe got involved to demand the improvement of the proposal for a unitary patent, following the call for action launched by April [2] and by signing the resolution proposed with StopSoftwarePatent.eu [3] and FFII [4].
All those companies are asking members of the Legal Affairs (JURI) Committee of the European Parliament to amend the current proposal regarding the unitary patent [5], in order to ensure innovation and to avoid threatening the businesses of European IT companies. Such a mobilization underline how big the threat of innovation companies is with the unitary patent, especially since the proposal do not offer any safeguard against drifts such as software patents [6]. While these have repeatedly shown how detrimental they are to innovation, to the software industry in general, and specially to Free Software, as well as to the right to code.
April would like to thank all signatories and call for continued mobilisation, especially by calling MEPs [7] to explain what the threats of the patent and of software patents are. Companies which have not signed the resolution yet can do it [8] by sending us an email: resolution-enterprises@unitary-patent.eu [9]
The text of the resolution that was sent to MEPs of the JURI Committee [10]:
Our company is worried about the current plans to set up a unitary patent with a flanking unified patent court.
The European Patent Office (EPO)'s practices to grant software patents, under the deceiving term of “computer-implemented inventions”, pose a threat to our professional activities.
We are concerned that the regulation on the unitary patent, as agreed in December 2011 by the negotiators of the Council, the Commission, and the Committee on Legal Affairs of the European Parliament, leaves any and every issue on the limits of patentability to the EPO's case law, without any democratic control or review by an independent court.
The regulation on the unitary patent is an opportunity for the EU legislators to harmonise substantive patent law in the EU institutional and jurisdictional framework, and to put an end to the EPO's self-motivated practices extending the realm of patentability to software. Failing to do so, this unitary patent will do more harm than good to the EU ICT firms.
For these reasons, we urge MEPs to adopt amendments which clearly state that the EPO's decisions are subject to a review from the Court of Justice of the European Union, and which reaffirm the rejection of software patentability, as expressed by the votes of the European Parliament on September 24th, 2003 and July 6th, 2005.
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The list of current signatories (to add your name to the list, please contact us by email: resolution-enterprises@unitary-patent.eu [9] )
April thanks all the signatories.
| 5and3 Ltd (GB) | Acoeuro (FR) | ACS Horizons (FR) |
| AdaCore SAS (FR) | Adsensus limited (GB) | Advokaturbüro (CH) |
| Aevum GmbH (DE) | Affect IT (DK) | Agora Con GmbH (AT) |
| A.H. Computing (DK) | Öko.neT (DE) | Aldaray Ltd (GB) |
| Alenis Hungary Kft (HU) | A Livr'ouvert (FR) | Allors (BE) |
| Altairis (FR) | Altmann Industrieelektronik GmbH (DE) | Anvil-Soft (DE) |
| ANWI Consulting (CH) | APITUX (FR) | APL Team Ltd (GB) |
| Aprisoft AB (SE) | APSU BVBA (BE) | Aquatickets Lanzarote S.L. (ES) |
| Arno Nebauer (DE) | Arvanta d.o.o (RS) | Arztpraxis (DE) |
| Askew (NL) | ASPerience (FR) | Augumenta (FI) |
| Avallain AG (CH) | Avalon Network (BE) | AVENCALL (FR) |
| Avertas GmbH (CH) | Aves ApS (DK) | Beeldbuijs (NL) |
| BEKA associates (GB) | BibLibre (FR) | Bibliotek-Systemer As (NO) |
| Binary Gastronome (FR) | Biochemfusion (DK) | Biodec srl (IT) |
| Bitcetera (CH) | Boost Development AB (SE) | BOOTSTRAP sprl (BE) |
| Borax distrib. Inform. usada. SL (ES) | BowTie Technology BV (NL) | Brains SW-Engineering (AT) |
| Brispo (DK) | Bristol Wireless Community Co-operative (GB) | BSSE (DE) |
| BS Web Services (DE) | Buckwalter Klintenäs AB () | Bureau Cornavin (FR) |
| Business Logics GmbH (DE) | Bux it solutions (AT) | CaC (DE) |
| Cactus Data ApS (DK) | Cadoles (FR) | Cairngorm Software Ltd (GB) |
| Céondo Ltd (GB) | CAPITA Unternehmensberatung GmbH (DE) | Capstone (NL) |
| Catalyst Computing Services Ltd. (GB) | CHOC 02 (FR) | ClaSS Information Services (ES) |
| ClickOut Limited (GB) | Cliss XXI (BE) | CMC VYRECO SL (ES) |
| Code Lutin (FR) | CodeMint AB (SE) | Codemist Ltd (GB) |
| Cognititve Tools V.O.F (NL) | ComisLogic (DK) | Commotron GmbH (DE) |
| Comperio srl (IT) | Con4m (NL) | ConsultIT (BE) |
| Contingences (FR) | CONVAR Deutschland GmbH (DE) | Corelatus (SE) |
| Corz.org (GB) | CoSeTrain GbR (DE) | Cre8ive Thought (NO) |
| Creative Mind (PL) | Cyberbotics Sarl (CH) | Délestage (FR) |
| Dalibo (FR) | Damage Data GbR (DE) | Dansk Prognose Information (DK) |
| Dasz.at OG (AT) | Datactics (GB) | Datenheim.de (DE) |
| Day by Day (NL) | Db&w Bornemann und Wolf GbR (DE) | ООО «Линукс Саппорт» (UA) |
| Debreuck & Neirynck (BE) | DEVINSY (FR) | Dial Solutions Ltd (GB) |
| Digital Graphics s.a. (BE) | Digital Request GmbH (DE) | Dipl.-Ing. Harald R. Haberstroh (AT) |
| Dipl.-Ing. Meinolf Müller (NO) | DPId Pty Ltd (AU) | DreamCradle.com (NL) |
| Dr.-Ing. Nepustil & Co. GmbH (DE) | Dr. Klepp IT Consulting (AT) | Dubbele.com (NL) |
| Dynasol B.V. (NL) | Easter-eggs (FR) | ED3L (FR) |
| EDAXI UG (haftungsbeschränkt) (DE) | Eduard.dk (DK) | Efox.hu Kft (HU) |
| EkInfo Kft. (HU) | Electronic Equipments Ltd. (GB) | Elektro Engineering, s.r.o. (CZ) |
| Ellié Computing (FR) | EMendo-IT (NL) | Emergence Consult (DK) |
| EnableIT (DK) | Energy Saving Technology Srl (IT) | Enredados Servicios Informaticos, S.L. (ES) |
| Entr'ouvert (FR) | EPOS PRO, s.r.o. (CZ) | Eqqon GmbH (AT) |
| Erimus AB (SE) | Ertel & Friends Multimedia GmbH (DE) | Escher Technologies Limited (GB) |
| Esoco GmbH (DE) | ESR Pollmeier GmbH (DE) | Etched Pixels Digital Design (GB) |
| EverSystems (DE) | Everthere ltd (GB) | E-volution ApS (DK) |
| Evoluzione Web (IT) | Evosens (FR) | Exceliora. Ltd (BG) |
| Excem (FR) | Exelion (PL) | Exelweiss Ent. S.L. (ES) |
| Expertys Solutions SARL (FR) | Expo Impex, S.L. (ES) | Falcom communications engineering gmbh (DE) |
| Faunalia (IT) | Felix Klee Consulting (DE) | Ferenc Kiraly s.p. (SI) |
| FID GmbH (DE) | FInnigan Computer Consultants Ltd. (GB) | Fks (BE) |
| Formations Linux LPI (FR) | Free Electrons (FR) | Freykamp IT Consulting GmbH (DE) |
| Frommel EDV-Systeme (DE) | Froot Limited (GB) | Garrels BVBA (BE) |
| Garvey Technologies Ltd (IE) | Gawinet Sp. z o.o. (PL) | GEEDEV Ltd (GB) |
| Geeky Monkey Ltd. (IE) | Gellings CO (NL) | GEMPSY FRANCE S.A. (FR) |
| GEMPSY FRANCE S.A. (FR) | GeneaNet SA (FR) | Gentleface s.r.o. (CZ) |
| GeoData Consult Aps (DK) | Geo-IT GmbH (DE) | Gerlach und Sanabria Partnerschaft, Softwareingenieure (DE) |
| GestTIC (ES) | GG-Net GmbH (DE) | Ghisler Software GmbH (CH) |
| GHXhosting.com Ltd (GB) | Gianluigi Belli (IT) | Glisco S.R.L. (IT) |
| Glx-consult.com (DE) | Gordon Kirk Limited (GB) | Grafische Koffie- Koek- en Dansshow (NL) |
| Gretta Grupp OÜ (EE) | Grupo Impex (España) (ES) | Grzymala Design (PL) |
| G&S Sistemas de Informacion, SL (ES) | Hannes Erven IT-Dienstleistungen (AT) | Hörmann Solutions (DE) |
| Hasso S.A. (ES) | Haxx AB (SE) | HDRsoft Sarl (FR) |
| Hermann Mundprecht - IT Consulting (AT) | Hideas (NL) | HighPC (DE) |
| Hoel Microsystems Ltd (GB) | H+O Films LLP (GB) | Holozone GmbH (DE) |
| Houlihans IT (IE) | Humanet Audio & IT (NL) | Hurson Associates (US) |
| Hussfelt Netware AB (SE) | HyperObjects (FR) | ICE (BE) |
| Ideia Central Consulting, Lda (PT) | I.d & l, (FR) | Ifu Hamburg GmbH (DE) |
| Illion HB (SE) | INAT GmbH (DE) | Incremental (DK) |
| Inextcom (FR) | Ingenieurbüro Rudolf Polzer () | InstalSoft s.c. (PL) |
| Institut Jean Le Rond d'Alembert UMR 7190 (FR) | Integralis Software ApS (DK) | Intelligent Firmware Ltd (GB) |
| Internethic (FR) | Inventivio GmbH (DE) | IOSPIRIT GmbH (DE) |
| IRON ELectronics (PL) | ISP Service eG (DE) | IsWagner (DE) |
| ISYS Prepress Services (NL) | IT-aid (DE) | ITIC INFORMATICA (ES) |
| IT in Zicht BV (NL) | IT-Kovac (CH) | Ixxy (GB) |
| Jakamaka Express BVBA (BE) | Jakob Bayen KG (DE) | JCOS-Technologies (FR) |
| Jedox AG (DE) | JGraph Ltd (GB) | JHV Consulting BVBA (BE) |
| JNF Programari (ES) | Joliciel Informatique (FR) | Jowett Enterprises Ltd (GB) |
| Jukysoft (IT) | Köhlers Daten Service (DE) | Kajala Group Ltd. (FI) |
| Kalpc Système | Kapernikov (BE) | Keks.com (DE) |
| Kernel IT Solutions ΕΠΕ (GR) | King Camera Services (GB) | King Computers snc (IT) |
| KIS Software (NL) | Kitson Consulting Limited (GB) | Klebos Limited (GB) |
| Kompsos BV (NL) | Kraken Software (PL) | Labor-liber (FR) |
| Landcroft Computing (GB) | LECHNER-RAU (DE) | L E Jonsson AB (SE) |
| Leptonics (BE) | Les Arts (FR) | Les Développements Durables (FR) |
| Libricks (FR) | Limelight Software Ltd (GB) | Link Data Security A/S (DK) |
| Linugen bvba (BE) | Linux Box (FR) | Linux Consulting Martin Herweg (DE) |
| Lochgorm Ltd (GB) | Lo Gal (FR) | Logical Soft (FR) |
| Logilab (FR) | Logivision (IT) | Longwitz Organisation & Consulting (CH) |
| Lore Gamedia (CH) | Loster GmbH (DE) | Lynx 2000 - Divisione Informatica di Cosmic Group S.r.l. (IT) |
| Mac-Service Fröhlich GbR (DE) | MagicManage GCV (BE) | Max M Corporation (DK) |
| Mayking srl (IT) | MDSI (FR) | MECH (NL) |
| Med1 Online Service GmbH (DE) | Medys Medical & Dentals Systems Distribution GmbH (DE) | Meerwegen scholengroep (NL) |
| Mekensleep (FR) | Meridian Press (GB) | Micro38 (FR) |
| MiGWien (AT) | MindStep (FR) | Modulo (BE) |
| Molecular Modeling & Drug Design BV (NL) | Moravská zemská knihovna v Brně (CZ) | M Quill Communications (IE) |
| {M:U} IT Design (DE) | Néréide (FR) | Nebix (BE) |
| Nechansky - ENGINEERING EFFICIENCY (AT) | Neko d.o.o. (SI) | NEONUS, s.r.o. (SK) |
| Neovita (SE) | Nepton Oy (FI) | Nethemba s.r.o. (SK) |
| NetSec BVBA (BE) | NETWORK PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS S.L. (ES) | Newfoundland IT (NL) |
| NICODUV SARL (FR) | Niko dem BAUM (AT) | NLnet Foundation (NL) |
| No Parking SARL (FR) | Normation (FR) | NRS (PT) |
| Oddpixel ltd (GB) | Offcode Ltd. (FI) | Ohrner IT GmbH (DE) |
| Olivier Lecarme (FR) | OpenCom (BE) | OpenDoor (FR) |
| Open Office Automatisering (NL) | OpenSides (BE) | Open Source Consortium (GB) |
| Open Source Consulting (AT) | OPENTIA (ES) | OPS Consulting (ES) |
| Organised Technology Ltd (GB) | Oslandia (FR) | Other Stuff (NL) |
| Ottoeotto (IT) | Outflop (FR) | PAETZOLD Consulting GmbH (DE) |
| PI-Data AG (DE) | Pierre Chevalier Géologue (FR) | Piil Informatik (DK) |
| PiKRON Ltd. (CZ) | Plaine informatique (FR) | Planeta Olea S.L. (ES) |
| Pleiade Associates Ltd (GB) | Portal Invest OÜ (EE) | PostSpectacular Ltd. (GB) |
| PRAGMA (NL) | Prem Souri GesbR (AT) | Procube systementwicklung (DE) |
| PRODIX Nowicki Marcin (PL) | PROGS bvba (BE) | Qtrac Ltd. (GB) |
| Qutoric Limited (GB) | Rabe BV (NL) | Radicore Software Limited (GB) |
| REDESB I.S.P., S.L. (ES) | Reid Geophysics Ltd (GB) | Reiz IT Solutions BV (NL) |
| Resolution Reichert Network Solutions GmbH (DE) | Riedmann Wolfgang (IT) | River Nederland (NL) |
| Robert Winia (MC) | Robinmatch Limited (GB) | ROSA Software (NL) |
| Rosman - Internet Services KG (AT) | Rotate IT (BE) | RSW architecten (NL) |
| Rylander Animation (SE) | SAFARA s.r.o. (CZ) | Sander + Partner GmbH (CH) |
| Saphena AB (SE) | SaphirTech (FR) | Sartori-software.com (AT) |
| Saxonica Limited (GB) | SBS Braungardt GmbH (DE) | Schokokeks.org GbR (DE) |
| Scil (FR) | Sculpture e.K. (DE) | Seath Solutions Ltd (GB) |
| Senble KB (SE) | Serious Thinking BV (NL) | Shayol (BE) |
| SILECS (FR) | Simtec Buergel AG (CH) | Smartmedia 2000 (IT) |
| Smile (FR) | Snaggi, s.r.o. (CZ) | Snowlion B.V. (NL) |
| SOFTEC sa (LU) | Software Reichmann (AT) | Software Semantics SAS (FR) |
| SoftWerk sas (IT) | SOILSOFT sprl (BE) | Solago (FR) |
| Solintex Ltd (GB) | Solveware (NL) | SonAire, S.L. (ES) |
| Sopinspace (FR) | Southern Cross Software (GB) | Sphenon GmbH (DE) |
| Spielend-programmieren (AT) | Springwald Software GmbH (DE) | Stabilys Ltd (GB) |
| Stajl IT Consulting (AT) | Stefan Drees Unternehmensberatung (DE) | STEM SARL (FR) |
| -stim- GmbH (DE) | Studio-o! s.r.o. (CZ) | Summerleaze Computer Services (GB) |
| Sven Kolberg Hard und Sofwareentwicklung (DE) | Swinbank Computing Ltd (GB) | Syloé (FR) |
| Sympatec GmbH (DE) | T4 Sustainability Ltd (GB) | Taho! (FR) |
| TandT (DE) | Tangerineworks Ltd (GB) | TeamBox SARL (FR) |
| Team Mellvik as (NO) | Tech Solutions (GB) | Tecnimex srl (IT) |
| Telit ApS (DK) | Tendersoft (PL) | Tetrode bvba (BE) |
| The Chalis Partnership (GB) | The H2Org (GB) | The Learning Machine Ltd (GB) |
| Thomas Nunninger (DE) | Ticket-web GmbH & Co. KG (DE) | Tiger-IT (NO) |
| TimeZynk AB (SE) | Tinwood Ltd (GB) | TOOTAI (PL) |
| ToxA IT-Dienstleistungen - Thomas Urban (DE) | Triacle Biocomputing (FI) | Two bits s.r.o. (CZ) |
| Tymon Limited (GB) | U5com Co Ltd (TH) | UAB EFOTO (LT) |
| Ulrich Fuchs (DE) | Uni-Deal (FR) | Unipax di Trombetta Pietro (IT) |
| Unitek Engineering AG (CH) | Universal Projects (RO) | UX3 GmbH (DE) |
| VaiSulWeb (IT) | Valuatum Oy (FI) | Van de Koppel Networking B.V. (NL) |
| VEONERGIE (FR) | VEOSOFT SAS (FR) | VIGL-DRUCK GesmbH (AT) |
| VIRTUA (ES) | VIXNS (FR) | VNZ (BE) |
| VoiP-GO BiC GmbH (DE) | Von Hoerner & Sulger GmbH (DE) | VRANIS SERVICIOS DE INGENIERIA SL (ES) |
| Waldmann EDV (DE) | Wapsol GmbH (DE) | Websabi.net Ltd. (GB) |
| Weinimport Karl Ernst Brunk (DE) | Wethica (CN) | WideTrail (DK) |
| Wijnands Computing Technology (NL) | WPI-Solutions (NL) | X64 Lda. (PT) |
| XHTML Finland (FI) | Xonix Labs (SK) | YiG Engineering b.v. (NL) |
| Zabbix SIA (LV) | Zakład Usług Informatycznych Piotr Dybczyński (PL) | Zedcore Systems Ltd (GB) |
| Zeroconf OÜ (EE) | Zeropoint.IT (BE) | Zicmama (FR) |
| Zone Ltd (GB) | Zone Projects (BG) | Zub machine control AG (CH) |