Is nVidia Linux driver reverse engineering legal in Europe?

[lopidas]

How does nvidia linux driver eula, especially sections 2.1.3 and 5. play with European Union Directive on the legal protection of computer programs? I think somebody would have already done that and uploaded to nouveau if it was legal in Europe. But I am not sure.

[droste]

I can't speak for whole europe, but in germany/austria an EULA that is shown while installing/updating has absolute no value at all.
The law requires the EULA to be part of the contract when you buy the software/hardware. So you can safely click "I agree" and totally ignore what is written in the EULA during installation.

This is of course different if there was an EULA in the initial contract and especially if this EULA states that it can be updated after the initial contract.