COM(2002)92 - Patentability of computer-implemented inventions

official title

 

Legal instrument	Directive
Decision making procedure	ordinary legislative procedure (COD)
reference by COM-number137	COM(2002)92
Additional COM-numbers	COM(2005)83
procedure number139	2002/0047(COD)
CELEX number140	52002PC0092

This page is also available in a full version containing the latest state of affairs, the summary of the European Parliament Legislative Observatory, the legal basis, the legal context, other dossiers related to the dossier at hand, the stakeholders involved (e.g. European Commission directorates-general, European Parliament committees, Council configurations and even individual EU Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament) and finally documents of the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Commission.

• 1. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 2. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 3. 

  For a definition of the term, see Art. 1.
  
   
• 4. 

  'The Munich Convention'. It entered into force on 7 October 1977. All 15 EC Member States as well as Cyprus, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Switzerland and Turkey are contracting states.
  
   
• 5. 

  On the divergences in greater detail see below.
  
   
• 6. 

  Promoting innovation through patents: Green Paper on the Community patent and the patent system in Europe COM(1997) 314 final, 24 June 1997
  
   
• 7. 

  Promoting innovation through patents: The follow-up to the Green Paper on the Community patent and the patent system in Europe COM (1999) 42 final , 5 February 1999
  
   
• 8. 

  The patentability of computer-implemented inventions: consultation paper by the services of the Directorate-General for the Internal Market (19 October 2000). Paper available for downloading at europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/indprop
  
   
• 9. 

  europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/indprop
  
   
• 10. 

  'Patent protection of computer programmes' (Contract no. INNO-99-04). Report available for downloading at ftp://ftp.ipr-helpdesk.org/softstudy.pdf. A complementary guide on software protection for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises is also available for download from the following link: ftp://ftp.ipr-helpdesk.org/software.pdf
  
   
• 11. 

  'The Economic Impact of Patentability of Computer Programs' (text available for downloading at europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/indprop ). The study was conducted by the Intellectual Property Institute, London, on behalf of the Commission and finalised in March 2000.
  
   
• 12. 

  In the wake of the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, of 23 July 1998, in State Street State Street Bank
   
• 13. 

  See study, at 5.
  
   
• 14. 

  Ibid., at 3.
  
   
• 15. 

  Ibid., at 5 et seq.
  
   
• 16. 

  Ibid., at 3.
  
   
• 17. 

  Ibid., at 8.
  
   
• 18. 

  Ibid., at 36.
  
   
• 19. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 20. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 21. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 22. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 23. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 24. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 25. 

  Computer program product I and II, T1173/97 of 1.7.1998, 1999 OJ EPO
   
• 26. 

  Controlling pension benefits system/PBS T-0931/1995 decision dated 8.09.2000
  
   
• 27. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 28. 

  Supra. See also case T1002/92 where the EPO Board of Appeal made this criticism for the first time.
  
   
• 29. 

  The claims have to be interpreted in the light of the description and the drawings relating to the invention. Cf., e.g., Art. 69(1) of the EPC.
  
   
• 30. 

  Such expression alone cannot serve as disclosure of a respective invention; see, e.g., EPO Guidelines for Substantive Examination, C-II, 4.14a.
  
   
• 31. 

  The law relating to copyright, as it applies to computer programs, was harmonised at Community level with the introduction of this Directive, Council Directive of 14 May 1991 on the legal protection of computer programs (91/250/EEC),
   
• 32. 

  Cf. in this sense Nack, Ralph, Sind jetzt computerimplementierte Geschäftsmethoden
   
• 33. 

  Case X ZB 16/00 (decision of the German supreme court (Bundesgerichtshof (BGH)) issued on October 17, 2001)
  
   
• 34. 

  See U.K. Patent Office practice notice of 19.4.1999 (available on the Patent Office website at www.patent.gov.uk/patent/notices/practice/computer).
  
   
• 35. 

  Case X ZB 16/00 (supra). The BGH disapproved an earlier judgement of the Federal Patent Court (Bundespatentgericht) in which it was held that a claim to a carrier only with a computer program was not allowable. In doing so, the court seems indirectly to have indicated its approval of the EPO practice of permitting claims to computer programs on their own provided that when associated with computer apparatus, a technical contribution is achieved.
  
   
• 36. 

  See e.g. Directive 89/104/EEC approximating the laws of the Member States relating to trade marks (OJ L 40, 11.2.1989, at 1) ; Directive 91/250/EEC on the legal protection of computer programs (OJ L 122, 17.5.1991, at 42) ; Directive 93/98/EEC harmonising the term of protection of coyright and certain related rights (OJ L 290, 24.11.1993, at 9) ; and Directive 96/9/EC on the legal protection of databases (OJ L 77, 27.3.1996, at 20).
  
   
• 37. 

  See opinion 1/94, Competence of the Community to conclude international agreements concerning services and the protection of intellectual property
   
• 38. 

  C-377/98. Pays-Bas v Parliament and Council. It was concluded (para 18-20):
  
   
• 39. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 40. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 41. 

  See note 20
  
   
• 42. 

  T26/86 (21.5.87)
   
• 43. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 44. 

  See Vicom Case T208/84 (15.7.1986)
   
• 45. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 46. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 47. 

  OJ C, , p.
  
   
• 48. 

  OJ C, , p.
  
   
• 49. 

  OJ C, , p.
  
   
• 50. 

  OJ L 336, 23.12.1994, p. 1
  
   
• 51. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 52. 

  OJ L 122 , 17.5.1991 p. 42- Directive amended by Directive 93/98/EEC (OJ L 290, 24.11.1993, p. 9).
  
   
• 53. 

  See study of May 1998 by Price Waterhouse, 'The Contribution of the Packaged Software Industry to the European Economies', available at www.bsa.org/europe-eng/globallib/econstudies
  
   
• 54. 

  See note 10
  
   
• 55. 

  See note 44
  
   
• 56. 

  See note 2
  
   
• 57. 

  COM(1997) 314 final of 24.6.1997. The issue had already been addressed in the Commission "questionnaire on Industrial Property Rights in the Information Society.
  
   
• 58. 

  Resolution on the Commission Green Paper, A4-0384/98, Minutes of 19.11. 1998, paragraph 16,
   
• 59. 

  Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the Green Paper,
   
• 60. 

  See point 11 of the conclusions of this hearing, OJ EPO 1-2/1998, at 82.
  
   
• 61. 

  The programme of the conference as well as transcripts of the speeches given there are accessible on the world-wide web at www.patent.gov.uk.
  
   
• 62. 

  COM(1999) 42 final of 5.2.1999.
  
   
• 63. 

  See, e.g., the EICTA position statement at www.eicta.org.
  
   
• 64. 

  The representatives of EuroLinux have published an unofficial, non-authorised report of the meeting on the web site of the EuroLinux Alliance at eurolinux.ffii.org/news/euipCAen.
  
   
• 65. 

  Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on The competitiveness of European enterprises in the face of globalisation - How it can be encouraged, OJ C 57, 29.2.2000, at 36 et seq., points 7.4. and 8.20.
  
   
• 66. 

  See note 11.
  
   
• 67. 

  Ibid.
  
   
• 68. 

  OJ L 336, 23.12.1994, p. 1
  
   
• 69. 

  OJ L 122 , 17.5.1991 p. 42- Directive amended by Directive 93/98/EEC (OJ L 290, 24.11.1993, p. 9).
  
   
• 70. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 71. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 72. 

  For a definition of the term, see Art. 1.
  
   
• 73. 

  'The Munich Convention'. It entered into force on 7 October 1977. All 15 EC Member States as well as Cyprus, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Switzerland and Turkey are contracting states.
  
   
• 74. 

  On the divergences in greater detail see below.
  
   
• 75. 

  Promoting innovation through patents: Green Paper on the Community patent and the patent system in Europe COM(1997) 314 final, 24 June 1997
  
   
• 76. 

  Promoting innovation through patents: The follow-up to the Green Paper on the Community patent and the patent system in Europe COM (1999) 42 final , 5 February 1999
  
   
• 77. 

  The patentability of computer-implemented inventions: consultation paper by the services of the Directorate-General for the Internal Market (19 October 2000). Paper available for downloading at europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/indprop
  
   
• 78. 

  europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/indprop
  
   
• 79. 

  'Patent protection of computer programmes' (Contract no. INNO-99-04). Report available for downloading at ftp://ftp.ipr-helpdesk.org/softstudy.pdf. A complementary guide on software protection for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises is also available for download from the following link: ftp://ftp.ipr-helpdesk.org/software.pdf
  
   
• 80. 

  'The Economic Impact of Patentability of Computer Programs' (text available for downloading at europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/indprop ). The study was conducted by the Intellectual Property Institute, London, on behalf of the Commission and finalised in March 2000.
  
   
• 81. 

  In the wake of the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, of 23 July 1998, in State Street State Street Bank
   
• 82. 

  See study, at 5.
  
   
• 83. 

  Ibid., at 3.
  
   
• 84. 

  Ibid., at 5 et seq.
  
   
• 85. 

  Ibid., at 3.
  
   
• 86. 

  Ibid., at 8.
  
   
• 87. 

  Ibid., at 36.
  
   
• 88. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 89. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 90. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 91. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 92. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 93. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 94. 

  Computer program product I and II, T1173/97 of 1.7.1998, 1999 OJ EPO
   
• 95. 

  Controlling pension benefits system/PBS T-0931/1995 decision dated 8.09.2000
  
   
• 96. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 97. 

  Supra. See also case T1002/92 where the EPO Board of Appeal made this criticism for the first time.
  
   
• 98. 

  The claims have to be interpreted in the light of the description and the drawings relating to the invention. Cf., e.g., Art. 69(1) of the EPC.
  
   
• 99. 

  Such expression alone cannot serve as disclosure of a respective invention; see, e.g., EPO Guidelines for Substantive Examination, C-II, 4.14a.
  
   
• 100. 

  The law relating to copyright, as it applies to computer programs, was harmonised at Community level with the introduction of this Directive, Council Directive of 14 May 1991 on the legal protection of computer programs (91/250/EEC),
   
• 101. 

  Cf. in this sense Nack, Ralph, Sind jetzt computerimplementierte Geschäftsmethoden
   
• 102. 

  Case X ZB 16/00 (decision of the German supreme court (Bundesgerichtshof (BGH)) issued on October 17, 2001)
  
   
• 103. 

  See U.K. Patent Office practice notice of 19.4.1999 (available on the Patent Office website at www.patent.gov.uk/patent/notices/practice/computer).
  
   
• 104. 

  Case X ZB 16/00 (supra). The BGH disapproved an earlier judgement of the Federal Patent Court (Bundespatentgericht) in which it was held that a claim to a carrier only with a computer program was not allowable. In doing so, the court seems indirectly to have indicated its approval of the EPO practice of permitting claims to computer programs on their own provided that when associated with computer apparatus, a technical contribution is achieved.
  
   
• 105. 

  See e.g. Directive 89/104/EEC approximating the laws of the Member States relating to trade marks (OJ L 40, 11.2.1989, at 1) ; Directive 91/250/EEC on the legal protection of computer programs (OJ L 122, 17.5.1991, at 42) ; Directive 93/98/EEC harmonising the term of protection of coyright and certain related rights (OJ L 290, 24.11.1993, at 9) ; and Directive 96/9/EC on the legal protection of databases (OJ L 77, 27.3.1996, at 20).
  
   
• 106. 

  See opinion 1/94, Competence of the Community to conclude international agreements concerning services and the protection of intellectual property
   
• 107. 

  C-377/98. Pays-Bas v Parliament and Council. It was concluded (para 18-20):
  
   
• 108. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 109. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 110. 

  See note 20
  
   
• 111. 

  T26/86 (21.5.87)
   
• 112. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 113. 

  See Vicom Case T208/84 (15.7.1986)
   
• 114. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 115. 

  Packaged software in Western Europe: The economic impact of the packaged software industry on the combined economies of sixteen European countries September 2000 Datamonitor, London
  
   
• 116. 

  OJ C, , p.
  
   
• 117. 

  OJ C, , p.
  
   
• 118. 

  OJ C, , p.
  
   
• 119. 

  OJ L 336, 23.12.1994, p. 1
  
   
• 120. 

  Cf. study by Booz Allen
   
• 121. 

  OJ L 122 , 17.5.1991 p. 42- Directive amended by Directive 93/98/EEC (OJ L 290, 24.11.1993, p.
  
  9).
  
   
• 122. 

  See study of May 1998 by Price Waterhouse, 'The Contribution of the Packaged Software Industry to the European Economies', available at www.bsa.org/europe-eng/globallib/econstudies
  
   
• 123. 

  See note 10
  
   
• 124. 

  See note 44
  
   
• 125. 

  See note 2
  
   
• 126. 

  COM(1997) 314 final of 24.6.1997. The issue had already been addressed in the Commission "questionnaire on Industrial Property Rights in the Information Society.
  
   
• 127. 

  Resolution on the Commission Green Paper, A4-0384/98, Minutes of 19.11. 1998, paragraph 16,
   
• 128. 

  Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the Green Paper,
   
• 129. 

  See point 11 of the conclusions of this hearing, OJ EPO 1-2/1998, at 82.
  
   
• 130. 

  The programme of the conference as well as transcripts of the speeches given there are accessible on the world-wide web at www.patent.gov.uk.
  
   
• 131. 

  COM(1999) 42 final of 5.2.1999.
  
   
• 132. 

  See, e.g., the EICTA position statement at www.eicta.org.
  
   
• 133. 

  The representatives of EuroLinux have published an unofficial, non-authorised report of the meeting on the web site of the EuroLinux Alliance at eurolinux.ffii.org/news/euipCAen.
  
   
• 134. 

  Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on The competitiveness of European enterprises in the face of globalisation - How it can be encouraged, OJ C 57, 29.2.2000, at 36 et seq., points 7.4. and 8.20.
  
   
• 135. 

  See note 11.
  
   
• 136. 

  Ibid.
  
   
• 137. 

  De Europese Commissie kent nummers toe aan officiële documenten van de Europese Unie. De Commissie maakt onderscheid in een aantal typen documenten door middel van het toekennen van verschillende nummerseries. Het onderscheid is gebaseerd op het soort document en/of de instelling van de Unie van wie het document afkomstig is.
   
• 138. 

  De Raad van de Europese Unie kent aan wetgevingsdossiers een uniek toe. Dit nummer bestaat uit een vijfcijferig volgnummer gevolgd door een schuine streep met de laatste twee cijfers van het jaartal, bijvoorbeeld 12345/00 - een document met nummer 12345 uit het jaar 2000.
   
• 139. 

  Het interinstitutionele nummer is een nummerreeks die binnen de Europese Unie toegekend wordt aan voorstellen voor regelgeving van de Europese Commissie.
  Binnen de Europese Unie worden nog een aantal andere nummerseries gebruikt. Iedere instelling heeft één of meerdere sets documenten met ieder een eigen nummering. Die reeksen komen niet overeen met elkaar of het interinstitutioneel nummer.
   
• 140. 

  Deze databank van de Europese Unie biedt de mogelijkheid de actuele werkzaamheden (workflow) van de Europese instellingen (Europees Parlement, Raad, ESC, Comité van de Regio's, Europese Centrale Bank, Hof van Justitie enz.) te volgen. EURlex volgt alle voorstellen (zoals wetgevende en begrotingsdossiers) en mededelingen van de Commissie, vanaf het moment dat ze aan de Raad of het Europees Parlement worden voorgelegd.
   
• 141. 

  Als dag van bekendmaking van een Europees besluit geldt de dag waarop het besluit in het Publicatieblad wordt bekendgemaakt, en daardoor in alle officiële talen van de Europese Unie bij het Publicatiebureau beschikbaar is.
   
• 142. 

  This legally binding act of the European Union establishes a set of objectives which all member states of the European Union must fulfil. The member states are required to implement directives. The member states are free to choose the manner they see fit to fulfil the required objectives.