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<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#0000ff size=2>Software patents are a PP
issue as well, aren't they? As you know, the European Patent Office (EPO) allows
software patents under certain conditions, based on the fact that the European
Patent Convention (only) excludes patents on "software as such". Nobody knows
what "as such" really means. This is not only a problem for those who oppose
"swpats" for political reasons, but also from the perspective of legal
certainty.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#0000ff size=2>In order to resolve these
problems (in particular the latter) the "Enlarged Board of Appeal" (EBA) has
been invoked (last October) to give its opinion on the boundaries of software
patentability (for Americans: it is somehow similar to the American Bilski case,
but still quite different).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#0000ff size=2>The EPO "Enlarged Board of
Appeal" now has published that third parties may submit their opinion on the
case until the end of April 2004 (in what Amercans call "amicus curiae
briefs").</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#0000ff size=2>If you don't understand the
questions in the attached document, you are right. Two questions remain: how to
explain that to the EBA, and what alternative to
propose. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Groeten, Grüße, Regards, Cordialement, Hälsningar,
Ciao, Saygilar, Üdvözlettel, Pozdrowienia, Kumusta, Adios, Oan't sjen, Ave,
Doei, Yassou, Yoroshiku, Slán, Vinarliga, Kær Kvedja<BR>>>> REINIER B.
BAKELS PhD LL.M. MSc<BR>private: Johan Willem Frisostraat 149, 2713 CC
Zoetermeer, The Netherlands telephone: +31 79 316 3126, GSM ("Handy") +31 6 4988
6490, fax +31 79 316 7221</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=official-journal@epo.org
href="mailto:official-journal@epo.org">Official-Journal</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=r.bakels@planet.nl
href="mailto:r.bakels@planet.nl">Reinier Bakels</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, January 21, 2009 2:53 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: urgent: article in latest OJEPO issue</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><BR><FONT face=sans-serif size=2>Dear Sir,</FONT> <BR><FONT
face=sans-serif size=2>please find enclosed a PDF copy of the text you have
asked for. OJ EPO 1/2009 will be published next week on the EPO website.
Publication date for the paper version dated 30.1.2009.</FONT> <BR><BR><FONT
face=sans-serif size=2>Kind regards</FONT> <BR><FONT face=sans-serif
size=2>Irene Wendl<BR></FONT>
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<TD><FONT face=Arial color=#5f5f5f size=2><B>Irene Wendl - Brigitte
Müller</B></FONT>
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<TD><FONT face=Arial size=1><B>Editorial Office - Official
Journal</B><BR>European Patent Office <BR>Erhardtstr. 27<BR>Room 128 -
Capitellum<BR>80469 Munich GERMANY<BR>Tel. +49 (0)89 2399-5225 /
-5217<BR>Fax +49 (0)89 2399-5298 </FONT><FONT face=Arial color=blue
size=1><U><BR></U></FONT><A href="mailto:official-journal@epo.org"><FONT
face=Arial color=blue
size=1><U>official-journal@epo.org</U></FONT></A><FONT face=Arial
color=blue
size=1><U><BR>www.epo.org</U></FONT></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR><BR><FONT
face=Arial size=1> </FONT> <BR><BR><BR>
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<TD width="40%"><FONT face=sans-serif size=1><B>"Reinier Bakels"
<r.bakels@planet.nl></B> </FONT>
<P><FONT face=sans-serif size=1>21-01-2009 14:39</FONT> </P>
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<DIV align=right><FONT face=sans-serif size=1>To</FONT></DIV>
<TD><FONT face=sans-serif
size=1><official-journal@epo.org></FONT>
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<TD>
<DIV align=right><FONT face=sans-serif size=1>cc</FONT></DIV>
<TD>
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<TD>
<DIV align=right><FONT face=sans-serif size=1>Subject</FONT></DIV>
<TD><FONT face=sans-serif size=1>urgent: article in latest OJEPO
issue</FONT></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR>
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<TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR><BR><BR><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=blue size=2>Good afternoon,</FONT> <BR><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS" color=blue size=2>In "Managing IP" I read, that the EPO in
its latest Official Journal issue has published details of the procedure how to
submit external comments for pending Enlarged Board of Appeal case G3/08. The
January 2009 issue of the OJ is not yet online however on the EPO website (and
it is not in the December 2008 issue).</FONT> <BR><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"
color=blue size=2>Could you perhaps send me the pertinent section by e-mail? I
plan to comment, and allegedly the deadline is tight, so I'd like to know as
soon as possible. </FONT><BR><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=blue
size=2>Incidentally, when will the Jan 2009 issue of the OJ be online?</FONT>
<BR><FONT size=3> </FONT> <BR><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=blue
size=2>Regards, <BR>>>> REINIER B. BAKELS PhD LL.M. MSc<BR>private:
Johan Willem Frisostraat 149, 2713 CC Zoetermeer, The Netherlands telephone: +31
79 316 3126, GSM ("Handy") +31 6 4988 6490, fax +31 79 316 7221</FONT>
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