EU Proposal for Patent Reform Proceeds with Significant Changes
20 Oct 2006
Members of the European Parliament have voted to proceed with the European Commission's (EC) plan to adopt the European Patent Litigation Agreement (EPLA), but on the basis of significant alterations made by three amendments accepted by the Parliament.
Among the themes emphasized by the amendments is the demand for "ensuring" that the process of reviewing and granting new patents is conducted democratically and with special attention to patent quality. Seven other amendments had been proposed, but were rejected by the Parliament.
Charlie McCreevy, the European Union (EU) Internal Market and Services Commissioner, who has been a strong proponent of the EPLA, has stated that he plans to have a revised proposal for adoption of the agreement by the end of this year. However, it is too premature at this time to determine when the Parliament will hold a vote to decide whether the EU will, in effect, ratify the EPLA.
For more on this story, please refer to SIPPI's coverage of the issue from September 21, 2006.
Source: Gerhardsen, T.I.S. European Parliament agrees to patent reform plan with amendments. Intellectual Property Watch. October 13, 2006. [Online]
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