The move by the European Commission is part of a broader push to
set new rules for internet-connected devices for cars, home
automation and energy devices and not just for computers and
smartphones.
The issue, in which trillions of dollars in sales are at stake,
has pitted Qualcomm, Ericsson, Nokia and other patent owners
against users such as Apple, Volkswagen, Daimler.
World No. 1 smartphone chip designer Qualcomm and Ericsson, use
a patent fee model which predominates in the tech industry with
royalties based on how much value a technology adds to a
product.
Apple, Google <GOOGL.O> and others in Silicon Valley have
criticized the model, saying fixed fees are fairer.
The Commission's latest draft no longer has the phrase
"licensing for all", the sources said, a victory for Qualcomm as
it removes the obligation on patent holders to provide patent
license to all companies asking for them.
A key sentence in an earlier proposal has also been deleted,
people said. The sentence said that right holders could not
unilaterally set prices according to the way in which a patent
is used.
The Commission did not respond to a request for comment. The
non-binding guidelines could provide a basis for future EU
rules.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Philip Blenkinsop)
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