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Thursday, June 22, 2006

EPO Doing Basic Research - Cont'd.

an earlier posting I had reported on an interview given by Mr. Konstantinos Karachalios of the European Patent Office (EPO) discussing some of its concerns about the future of the intellectual property system tackled by EPO by launching a major study of the "critical issues" ahead. Now

another Document CA/116/06 drawn up by the President of the European Patent Office, Mr. Pompidou, has come to my attention.

According to the Document, on April 18, 2006, 40 delegates from various contracting states of the European Patent Organisation and 15 representatives from the EPO met at Hohenkammer, outside Munich, to examine the work currently being undertaken on the EPO Scenarios project. The aim was to collectively use this information to reflect on how the future of patenting and intellectual property might evolve over the next 15-20 years, at both European and global levels.

Topics addressed in Hohenkammer included:

Future of the patent system;
Role of Europe;
Language issues;
Role of the National Patent Offices;
The role of the public;
The need for IP education of the public;
Enforcement; and
Theological views, perspectives of young people and cooperation with the private sector.

Concerning the future of the patent system and according to the Document, views of the participants ranged from denial, i.e. that possible threats were an "incorrect perception" in one group to agreement that system would undoubtedly change in another. It was felt that the patent system was likely to be used as a "surrogate" or lightning rod for other issues not directly related to IPR. The different means of raising budgets within the patent offices was raised, as well as problems and misuse of the system. Moreover, the report says there were many comments on the inability of society to understand the complexity of the system. One group held the belief that the power of pressure groups was overestimated: "decisions on the future of IP would be taken on sound judgement rather than single interest groups". Technology has enabled individuals to identify their needs, so creating new tensions within kaleidoscopic society.

So, my interpretation of this sentence "Technology has enabled individuals to identify their needs, so creating new tensions within kaleidoscopic society" would be that at least some of the participants have eventually arrived in the age of the Internet. It is interestng to see that, in this very special and privileged round, the current status of the European patent system apparently has been discussed quite frankly and without overly relying on sedating euphemisms.

There are other interesting statements in the Document, e.g. like this one:

"[...] There were no recorded positive views regarding the future of Europe. Issues such as decreasing role on the world stage, growing acquis, aging population, market fragmentation due to lack of harmonisation and the need for legal certainty within European industry were aired. It was suggested that if Europe were not so innovative in the future, it might shift its point of view regarding IP to one more characteristic of developing countries. There was also mention of the 600,000 European scientists working in the United States, a tribute to the success of its system. [...]"

"[...] The 'language paradox' was raised: i.e. countries such as Japan have big language problems (e.g. Chinese and Korean prior art) and are prepared to address them, whilst Europe, with the most obvious language issues of all fails to recognise or address them. Comments on the language issue included 'problem insurmountable' and 'too early to be thinking of this'. [...]"

I am really curious to learn more on the results of this EPO project.

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Patent Attorney Axel H Horns' Blog on Intellectual Property Law.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

EPO Doing Basic Research - Cont'd.

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