Logo de l'OEP

Sélectionnez votre langue

Logo de l'OEP

25 countries give green light to European patent

11 March 2011, Euractiv

Ministers from 25 member states have decided to go ahead with plans to introduce a common system for registering patents that would save European businesses millions of euros each year. Meanwhile, Italy and Spain are still refusing to join in, and difficult legal issues remain unresolved.

The decision to proceed with a Europe-wide patent system was taken by EU ministers in Brussels yesterday (10 March), with the agreement of all the countries except Italy and Spain.

These two countries have chosen to exclude themselves from the process, because they refuse to accept the proposed rules regarding the choice of official languages. Read more...