This report attempts to open the discussion among European Ministries of Education, national educational agencies, school networks and other e-learning users and practitioners on the European software patents.

The first section explains the current situation with software patents in Europe, the second section states the goals for European e-learning in a knowledge-driven society, the following section examines three arguments concerning how software patents could potentially harm the European e-learning field, and the final section gives some pointers for future actions.

This paper does not claim to represent the views of the European Schoolnet’s members nor the general view of the European Schoolnet office. The brief is provided to inform the stakeholders about the possible effects and to provide a ground for discussion, it is not a statement of a position taken.

The paper "Software Patents - a potential hindrance of ICT in education" is produced by Riina Vuorikari and Karl Sarnow, European Schoolnet, on December 2004. It is downloadable at:
http://www.eun.org/insight-pdf/special_reports/e_learning_softpat.pdf