[Fwd: [Si-parl] Urgent Call: The countdown is running ...]

[Andraz Tori]

-----Posredovano sporočilo-----
From: Lars Noschinski <lars at public.noschinski.de>
To: si-parl at ffii.org
Subject: [Si-parl] Urgent Call: The countdown is running ...
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 20:57:58 +0200

Hello!

As some as you may have read on bxl, yesterday the 20th and last
translation of the Councils proposal for a directive "on the
patentability of computer-implemented inventions" (better known as
software patents) appeared on the councils website:

http://register.consilium.eu.int/servlet/driver?page=Result〈=EN&typ=Advanced&cmsid=639&ff_COTE_DOCUMENT=9713%2F04&fc=ALLLANG&srm=25&md=100

For the delivery of the Urgent Call this means, the countdown has been
started. After a six week period, the Council can formally adopt this
political agreement, so this bad proposal will go the the Parliament
again.

To reach our aim of reversing the 18 May Council's decision, we have
prepared the Urgent Call

  http://swpat.ffii.org/xatra/cons0406

an appeal to the national governments and parliaments to prevent the
formal adoption of the May 18 Council's Decision and work on that
directive on political (not bureaucratic) point of view.

To be most effective, the UC must be delivered in all European
countries. Some are partly finished, a few (Greece and France) are
already done, but there are also some countries where nobody started it
yet.

If you don't want to software patents, this is a task where you can
reach something meaningful.


How can I participate?
======================

Nice to know there is so much support :) 

At first, you should find out, who's working on it in your country yet
and contact him/her. You find this information on

  http://kwiki.ffii.org/LtrCons0406En

and your countries page linked from there may be information about the
current state and open tasks. You can contact me, if you're missing the
mail addresses.

If you need support, consilium-parl will be glad to help you. How to
subscribe is described on:

  http://lists.ffii.org/mailman/listinfo/consilium-parl


Nobody is taking care of it in my country!
==========================================

That's the hard case. Fortunately, you can build on the preparations
made in other countries.

As you'll most certainly have questions and to stay informed,
consilium-parl will be useful. Also, having 1-2 or more persons
supporting you will make it easier.

For collaborative work, there is a national wiki page, linked from

  http://kwiki.ffii.org/LtrConsRecv0406En

If you start working on it, please drop me a note, so I know somebody is
taking care of it and I can rest easy ;)


What's to be done?
==================

For the delivery of the Urgent Call, some basic tasks must be done:

* Collect the documents to send.

  The Urgent Call consists of the letter itself and some accompagning
  appendixes.  The letter itself should be translated and typesetted. As
  time is running out now, I suggest not to translate the appendixes
  anymore, just use one of the translated versions, they are listed on
  http://kwiki.ffii.org/LtrCons0406En, just like the instructions for
  translating
 
* Find recipients

  For the beginning, collect 4-5 recipients (Head of state, head of
  parliament, concerned minister(s), (concerned MP)). List them with
  their addresses (post + phone if possible) on your national wiki page.

  If you started sending, you may extend this list to reach more people,
  but as we don't have much time, I suggest to start with a few.

* Customizing

  Either you write a cover letter or you customize the letter to address
  it to each specific recipient (a "Dear Mr. President, ..." may be
  enough). Put a pdf online for every version.

* Sending

  See also: http://kwiki.ffii.org/LtrConsSend0406En

  Send it as a letter to each recipient. Phone them a few days later to
  ensure, that they received and read it. If there is a signatory from
  your country, he/she/it should be able to forward it too (CEA-PME has
  members in many european countries, this may be worth a look). Also
  other FFII supporters should spread it.  If they write a short,
  personal cover letter, it'll improve attention.


Links about the Urgent Call
===========================

* The Urgent Call
  http://swpat.ffii.org/xatra/cons0406

* Reversal of the Council's decision
  http://kwiki.ffii.org/ConsReversEn

* Main project page / news
  http://kwiki.ffii.org/LtrCons0406En

* Delivery organisation page (with links to national organisation pages)
  http://kwiki.ffii.org/LtrConsRecv0406En

* Sending instructions / results
  http://kwiki.ffii.org/LtrConsSend0406En


Thank you for reading this long mail!

Lars Noschinski, project leader Urgent Call

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