EPO President Calls for an Enhanced Patent System

November 17, 2004

EPO President Calls for an Enhanced Patent System
The Chartered Institute of Patent Agents (CIPA) announced on Wednesday that Alain Pompidou, president of the European Patent Office (EPO), has warned that a fragmented patenting system will seriously erode the competitiveness of the European economy.

Speaking at the Annual Congress of CIPA, Pompidou said that “The centralized European patent system is a great asset to Europe and one which we must not throw overboard to satisfy national interests.”

A press release by CIPA stated that Pompidou called on national governments to ratify the London Agreement, which will make patenting across Europe much cheaper by reducing translation requirements and enable the creation of a European Community Patent.

He also urged governments to proceed with the draft European Patent Litigation Agreement, which will enable the setting-up of a common European Patent Court.