EU court decision deals blow to Oracle

The European Court of Justice dealt a major blow to Oracle on the 3 July 2012, ruling that the software maker cannot block the resale of its software online.

An author of software cannot oppose the resale of his ‘used’ licences allowing the use of his programs downloaded from the internet. The exclusive right of distribution of a copy of a computer program covered by such a licence is exhausted on its first sale.

ECJ: Press Release, No.94, 2012: An author of software cannot oppose the resale of his ‘used’ licences allowing the use of his programs downloaded from the internet http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2012-07/cp120094en.pdf

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