CBC News reports that in a move widely seen as a boost for innovation and competition in the technology sector, New Zealand has passed a law that will prohibit the patenting of computer software. The reformed Patents Bill, which was first drafted five years ago, passed third reading in the New Zealand Parliament Wednesday. The new law states that “a computer program is not an invention” and hence cannot be protected by a patent. “This bill marks a significant step towards driving innovation in New Zealand,” said Commerce Minister Craig Foss in a press release on his ministry’s website. “It replaces 60-year-old legislation and introduces a patent system suited for the 21st century.”
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