EU court approves reselling used software licences

Companies can legitimately sell used software licences for downloadable software following a landmark decision from the European Court of Justice.

The case means customers of software companies that no longer want to use the product could put the licence up for sale, providing they stop using their own copies.

The ruling follows a German case in which Oracle was seeking to stop retailer usedSoft from reselling licences for its software.

According to Oracle, the resale breached the terms of its licence and was therefore an infringement of copyright, but the court ruled that the licence could be sold on under European law.

The decision is a victory for usedSoft which looks to cash in on spare licences slushing around unused.

You can also get rid of your unused licenses to generate additional income – for example, when you reduce your staff

“We have connections with users in the international arena as well as with liquidators. That is why you get ‘used’ software from nearly all application fields and manufacturers at usedSoft: from Microsoft to Novell,” the company boasts on its website.

“You can also get rid of your unused licenses to generate additional income – for example, when you reduce your staff, switch systems or restructure your company.”

Although the case could worry major software developers and cause lost sales, there was some consolation in the judge ruling that resellers could not divvy up multi-users licences and sell them off individually.