Business methods should remain unpatentable. That was the clear message coming from the UK last month. In a statement issued on March 13, the government stood firm in its position not to allow the patentability of business methods and to allow no change in the guidelines for patenting software. The government's stance is likely to bring the UK into direct conflict with the European Patent Office, the United States and the UK software industry, which believes it is losing out to its American colleagues.