[A2k] India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Egypt: Inputs for chair’s summary pr oposed by group of like minded countries

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

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India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Egypt: Inputs
for chair’s summary proposed by group of like minded countries

By thiru, on May 7th, 2009

India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Egypt have
just provided inputs for the Chair’s (Canada, Alan Troicuk, Senior
Counsel, Canadian Intellectual Property Office), Summary of the
Working Group of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The Philippines
made the intervention on behalf of the group of like minded countries.

Inputs for chair’s summary proposed by group of like minded countries

India, Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Egypt

The 2nd session of the PCT Working Group recognized the need to
continue efforts to improve the working of the PCT system within its
existing legal framework. In this context, the group acknowledged and
thanked the secretariat for the efforts made to prepare the draft
roadmap on “The Future of the PCT”. The Working Group took note of the
Proposals in the draft roadmap and welcomed the useful discussions on
them.

The Working Group agreed that the roadmap raised certain concerns as
acknowledged by the chairman and the secretariat. To address these, it
was agreed that there was a need to undertake further study while
factoring, inter alia, the following elements.

(I) Begin by identifying the current problems and challenges facing
the PCT system;

(II) Analyze the causes underlying the problems;

(III) Outline possible options to address them;

(IV) Assess the impact of the proposed options; and

(V) Be a member-driven process, involving broad-based consultations
with all stakeholder groups.

The study should focus on the international phase, without limiting
the freedom of contracting states to prescribe and apply substantive
national conditions of patentability. It should take into account the
development agenda recommendations, in particular, recommendations NO.
15, 17, 20, 21, 22 and 44. The study should also address the concerns
expressed by member states in this meeting.

Keeping in view the sense of urgency expressed by some member states,
the group urged the timely submission of the study to member states
for further consideration.

(as of 7 May 2009, 15:30)

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Thiru Balasubramaniam
Geneva Representative
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)
thiru@keionline.org


Tel: +41 22 791 6727
Mobile: +41 76 508 0997