Software should be cheaper in Europe

One of the excuses quoted in the past as a reason why *hardware* costs more in Europe than in the USA is that Europe (quite rightly) has stringent pollution control regulations which oblige manufacturers to make arrangements for the recycling of their old equipment, and this represents an extra cost which is passed on to the consumer.

However, software patents are not legally valid in Europe. Therefore, no royalty or licence fees should be necessary in respect of "patented" software in use there. Why isn't this cost saving being passed on to the consumer?