[Ecommerce] UK report on Feb 3-4 USPTO meeting on WIPO development and patent agendas

[James Love]

http://www.patent.gov.uk/about/notices/2005/group.htm

United Kingdom to lead Working Group on IP and Development

The United States Patent and Trade Mark Office recently invited
representatives from the European Commission, the European Patent
Office, and a number of national patent offices to discuss how to make
progress on patent law harmonisation and issues surrounding intellectual
property and developing countries. The meeting agreed the following
Statement of Intent.

     " 1. The Participants ("Participants") of the Exploratory Meeting
of Interested Parties Concerning the Future of Substantive Patent Law
Harmonisation, held February 3-4, 2005 in Alexandria, Virginia, wishing
to promote and facilitate progress on certain key issues under
consideration in the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO),
agree to convene future meetings to consider:

        1. substantive patent law harmonisation issues, notably the
Trilateral "first package", as developed by the United States Patent and
Trademark Office, the European Patent Office and the Japan Patent Office
and set forth in WIPO Document WO/GA/31/10; and

        2. issues with regard to intellectual property and development,
including proposals for a WIPO Development Agenda and proposals relating
to genetic resources,

     with a view to seeking a common basis for further discussions in WIPO.

     2. The Participants agree that the following parties will be
invited to participate in the future meetings: all Members of WIPO Group
B, Member States of the European Union, the European Commission, Member
States of the European Patent Organisation, and the European Patent Office.

     3. The Participants further agree to have regular, intersessional
meetings of subgroups to address the issues referenced in Paragraph 1.

     Participants: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark,
European Commission, European Patent Office, France, Germany, Hungary,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal,
Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom,
United States of America."

IP Australia will lead a subgroup on substantive patent law
harmonisation, and the UK and Netherlands will jointly lead a subgroup
on development issues. Meetings of the two subgroups will be held
between March and May, with a view to preparing proposals to put to the
World Intellectual Property Organisation later in the year. The UK will
also be attending WIPO meetings with developing countries to identify
issues which will facilitate progress on a mutually beneficial basis.


Last updated 08 February 2005