The issue was raised by Green Party Alderman Jens Muehlhaus, who warned that patent issues could grind some of the city's departments to a halt in the future. The issue involves a proposed directive on software patents that is being considered by various European governments, including Germany, France, and the U.K.

“The threat is this: a patent owner could send a cease-and-desist order against the City of Munich,” said Florian Mueller, a software entrepreneur and spokesman for the Green Party there. Mueller noted that the European patent situation is “a grey area” that should be clarified.

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