歐洲議會通過專利系統重整計畫，但附加三個條款

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European Parliament Agrees To Patent Reform Plan With Amendments

歐洲議會的議員要求目前的EPLA內容提供關於民主的管理(democratic control)，司法的獨立性(judicial independence)，與訴訟的費用(litigation costs)重要的修正條款。

原先反對EPLA，反軟體專利陣營的Florian Müller 表示，這樣的表決結果並沒有所謂的勝負可言，未來仍有許多的發展可能。

原本有10個附加條款的提案，但是最終只有附加條款1, 3 與7通過。

附加條款一

Amendment one, put forward by PES, “Reminds the Commission that all legislative proposals should be accompanied by an in-depth impact analysis related to patent quality, governance and legislative control of the patent system, judicial independence and litigation costs”;

附加條款三

Amendment three, put forward by European United Left/Nordic Green Left, says: “whereas there have been growing concerns about undesirable patents in various fields and about a lack of democratic control over the processes by which such patents are granted, validated and enforced”;

附加條款七

And amendment seven, put forward by a mixed group: “Urges the Commission to explore all possible ways of improving the patent and patent litigation systems in the EU, including participation in further discussions on the EPLA and acceding to the Munich Convention as well as revising the Community Patent proposals; as regards the EPLA, considers that the proposed text needs significant improvements, which address concerns about democratic control, judicial independence and litigation costs, and a satisfactory proposal for the rules of procedure of the EPLA court.”

其中第七個修正案最為重要，有一些政黨關注，到時候歐洲專利法庭的技術法官會(也不盡然)由目前的歐洲專利局的科技複審委員會的委員來出任。

OHIM 行政長官McCreevy 請求議會給予EPLA修正的機會。如果他要求議會通過目前的EPLA計畫，可能會被歐洲議會否決，尤其是部分的社會主義者與自由主義者對EPLA吹毛求疵。

Müller表示，好消息是歐洲議會對是第一個對EPLA草案做出重要的反對意見的單位；壞消息是歐洲議會僅是要求法案修改而暫時停止審議，我們(反對者)必須要再去找到有強烈的理由反對EPLA的政治性團體。