Protecting Europe's intellectual property - promoting a robust regime

Major developments

EuropaBio is pushing for single patent litigation system for Europe

Reforms, building on earlier discussions of the Community Patent and European Patent Litigation Agreement, have been proposed to create a jurisdiction litigation system that should be optional for both categories. Industry's view is that a new litigation system should only deal with cross-border cases, and that cases with impact at only one Member State should remain with the respective national courts (without any cross-border impact).

The Access- and Benefit-Sharing negotiations in the Convention on Biodiversity

The Biodiversity Convention is negotiating an International Regime on access to genetic resources, instituting new constraints to such resources, and possibly new conditions for patentability of biotechnology inventions. EuropaBio, together with the other major industry associations representing life-science sectors, and under the umbrella of the International Chamber of Commerce, represents the interests of its members in this policy making platform. The goal is a regime that encourages discovery and sustainable use of genetic resources in the life-science industries.

Challenges and opportunities

EuropaBio continues to:

• promote a single European patent.
• ensure a patent litigation initiative in line with EuropaBio proposals.
• work with officials to put in place a Supplementary Protection Certificate.