Sweden claims breakthrough on EU patent impasse

The Council of the European Union unanimously adopted conclusions on an enhanced patent system in Europe on the 4 December 2009.

The package agreed covers major elements to bring about a single EU patent and establish a new patent court in the EU. Both together will make it less costly for businesses to protect innovative technology and make litigation more accessible and predictable.

The agreement will pave the way for solving the outstanding issues to achieve a major reform of the EU patent system in the near future.

• Primary Source

Bruegel Working Paper, No.8, 2009: Cost benefit analysis of the Community Patent http://aei.pitt.edu/12369/01/wp_patents_231209.pdf

European Commission: Press Release, IP/09/1880: Patents: EU achieves political breakthrough on an enhanced patent system http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1880&type=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=fr

ESO: Background information: Patents http://www.europeansources.info/record/website-patents/

http://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/intellectual-property/patents/index_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/growth/industry/intellectual-property/patents/index_en.htm

Council of the European Union: Press Release, 4.12.09: Conclusions on an enhanced patent system in Europe http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/intm/111744.pdf

Council of the European Union: Proposal for a Council Regulation on the Community patent - General approach, 27.11.09 (16113/09) http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/09/st16/st16113-ad01.en09.pdf

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