News Roundup

Open Forum on the Draft Substantive Patent Law Treaty

What should be the purposes and limits of international patent law harmonization? How might the definitions of prior art, novelty and inventive step be harmonized? To what extent should exclusions from patentability be harmonized? What can be done to improve patent quality? What is the impact on upstream research of increased patenting in the life sciences? How well does the current patent system serve public health objectives? What alternative models exist to promote innovation?

These were just a few of the questions addressed by speakers at the Open Forum on the Draft Substantive Patent Law Treaty (SPLT), hosted by WIPO from March 1 to 3. The forum, which was open to the public, resulted from a decision by Member States at the 2005 General Assembly, and was conceived to help clarify the future of negotiations to conclude an international treaty that would harmonize substantive patent law. While these negotiations have made headway since they were launched in May 2001, a number of issues are outstanding, and Member States have expressed divergent views on the future work plan of the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP).

Eminent scientists, industry representatives and legal experts joined speakers from civil society and governments for three days of wide-ranging discussion. The well-attended forum was characterized by a will to avoid polarized debate in the interest of a genuine exchange of information and experience regarding the complexities of patent harmonization.

For more see http://www.wipo.int/meetings/2006/scp_of_ge_06/

Madrid System - Record Numbers of Filings

A record 33,565 international trademark applications were received in 2005 by WIPO under the Madrid system - a 13.9 percent increase on the previous year’s figures. Germany topped the list for the 13 th consecutive year. Applications from developing countries - led by China - increased by 30.6 percent over 2004. China also unseated Switzerland as the most designated country in international trademark applications.

WIPO Director General Kamil Idris welcomed the continuing growth in WIPO’s IP registrations services to the private sector as reflecting the growing integration of these procedures into business strategies. Mr. Ernesto Rubio, WIPO...