EU surveys citizens on patent law

By Steve Malone

Posted on 17 Jan 2006 at 10:20

The European Union is asking for its citizens' views on the future of copyright law among member states.

The move follows the failure last year to agree a common patent law. Last July, the European Parliament rejected the Computer Implemented Inventions (CII) Directive on the grounds that it would stifle innovation in Europe by allowing the patenting of pure software. Some countries, in particular the new member states of Eastern Europe with fledgling IT sectors, feared that large corporations would use their legal muscle to prevent them developing their own markets

The questionnaire covers a wide range of subjects around the area of patent law and covers three major areas - how the patent system in Europe can be improved, possible areas where patents could be harmonised among the member states and the future of the Community patent.

Beginning with basic principles of a patent system such as clear rules, accessible methods of obtaining patents, dispute resolution and regard for anti competitive behaviour, it then asks questions about European patent litigation, national patent law and how much patent law affects your business.

Any stakeholder, whether it be within an industry or as an individual, is being encouraged to take part in the survey. The closing date for submissions is 31 March 2006.

Any feedback received as part of the survey will be considered by the Commission at a hearing due to take place Brussels in early summer of this year.

The EU patent survey questionnaire is in PDF format and responses should be emailed to the EU's patent strategy office.