Atividade Parlamentar Patents in Europe: What´s Next?

Today, Maria da Graça Carvalho participated in the Network roundtable "Patents in Europe: What's Next?", organized in Brussels by Science|Business.

After years of debate, the way Europeans protect their inventions is about to change radically. A new Unitary Patent system is being set up, alongside a Unified Patent Court; the EU member-states are now in the process of ratifying it, and the European Patent Office is preparing the paperwork for it. In practice, what are the remaining obstacles? Will it cut the high cost of patenting in Europe? Will it open the door to "patent trolls", or herald a new era of invention in Europe? How are universities and companies across Europe preparing?

Agenda:

• 14h00: Welcome, Richard L. Hudson, CEO and Editor, Science|Business
• 14h05: Introducing the Unitary Patent - Jonathan Faull, Director-General, Internal Market and Services, European Commission
• 14h25: The politics of a unitary patent - Member of the European Parliament Maria da Graça Carvalho (see intervention here) and Member of the European Parliament Amelia Andersdotter
• 14h45: Implementing the unitary patent: Margot Fröhlinger, Principal Director Patent Law and Multilateral Affairs, European Patent Office; Alexander Ramsay, Vice Chairman, Preparatory Committee, Unified Patent Court; Deputy Director, Division for Intellectual Property & Transport Law, Ministry of Justice, Sweden
• 15h45: The impact of the unitary patent - on the economy, industry and academia: Patrick Terroir, Deputy Director General, CDC Intellectual Property; Ric Henschel, Partner, Foley & Lardner; Tony Clayton, Chief Economist, UK Intellectual Property Office; Colette Vogele, Director of IP Policy, Microsoft EMEA.