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<html newsdate="2015-02-18">
	<head>
		<title>FSFE responds to EU consultation on patents
		and standards</title>
	</head>
	<body class="press release">
<h1>FSFE responds to EU consultation on patents
		and standard</h1>

<p newsteaser="yes">In order to push for a more enlightened policy
  approach to managing innovation and knowledge, FSFE has <a href="/activities/os/20150213.EC-patents-standards-consultation.FSFEresponse.pdf">submitted a
  response</a> [pdf] to an EU consultation on patents and standards. This is
  the latest action in FSFE's ongoing work in promoting Open Standards.</p>

<p>The <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/newsroom/cf/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=7833">consultation</a>, run by the European Commission's
  Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship
  and SMEs, sought input from the public on the interaction of
  standards and patents. In its response, FSFE focused mainly on how
  patents on computer-implemented inventions negatively affect
  competition and innovation in the software market.</p>

<p>We also highlighted that so-called "fair, reasonable and
  non-discriminatory" (FRAND) licensing terms are in practice a grave
  discrimination against Free Software programs. In many segments of
  the software market, these programs are the most significant
  competition to non-free offerings. FSFE recommends that standards
  organisations instead implement the successful patent licensing
  policies of the W3C and other bodies, and make the restriction-free
  licensing of standard-essential patents mandatory.</p>
  

</body>

<sidebar news="Patents">
</sidebar>
	<tags>
		<tag>front-page</tag>
		<tag>patents</tag>
		<tag content="Open Standards">OpenStandards</tag>
		<tag>Policy</tag>
                <tag content="European Commission">EuropeanCommission</tag>
	</tags>
</html>