Software interoperability: the EU competition and IP scrutiny
Dissertação de mestrado em Direito dos Negócios, Europeu e Transnacional ; This paper makes an approach to software interoperability. An emphasis is added to situations where the lack of interoperability generates several problems. The relation between copyright and competition law are the main subjects to be attended, specifically, the relation that those areas have with the interoperability issues. The approach made in this essay is limited to the European Union legal context. The Software directive according to the authors' opinion has several failures that influence competition in the EU, these failures will be referred and recommendations presented. The lack of interoperability in the technological market is an issue of great relevance due to the high networking effects that characterizes the referred market. This means that a new and innovative product that wants to pierce the market will have great difficulty to do so if interoperability information's are not provided by the few dominant undertakings. For example: If a new internet browser is created it needs access to the interoperability information of the main PC software providers (Windows or Mac OS). If access is not granted it would be nearly impossible to introduce this product in the market. The example given usually has competition effects as well as the way we perceive the type of intellectual property protection to be granted. ; Este trabalho literário faz uma abordagem à questão da interoperabilidade dos sistemas informáticos. Enfase é dado às situações onde a falta de interoperabilidade origina diversos problemas. A relação entre os direitos de autor e o direito da concorrência são os principais temas abordados, mais concretamente a relação dessas áreas com a questão de interoperabilidade. A abordagem feita nesta dissertação é limitada ao contexto legal da União Europeia. A diretiva de Software de acordo com a opinião do autor contém algumas falhas que influenciam a concorrência na UE, essas falhas serão mencionadas e recomendações ...
