The issue has already divided industry opinion among those wanting to follow the comparatively liberal approach of the US to granting patents, those wanting no change to the present EU law that only grants patents to software having a technical effect, and those seeking a compromise between the current US and European approaches.
The Commission’s web site will host a consultation paper with specific questions for gathering opinion on the matter from member states and interested parties, such as software businesses.
Agreement on the form of a new Community Patent has also apparently been reached this week.