About: patents

A Covid-19 vaccine must have a ‘global public good’ guarantee

A coronavirus vaccine must be accessible to all. EU leaders must ensure that patents do not put profits ahead of people, writes Marc Botenga.

Breton renews calls for a single European patent system

The EU should speed up plans to create a single European patents system because the current setup is "too expensive and fragmented," Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton has said.

European, German companies pull ahead in new patent office report

The new European Patent Offices's 2018 report, released Tuesday (12 March) shows a European pull ahead of Chinese firm Huawei that dominated last year and an increase in European patent applications by 4.6%.

Plant breeding techniques: Commission wants broader reflection on innovation in seeds sector

The European Court of Justice will decide on Wednesday (25 July) if the so-called new plant breeding techniques (NPBTs) fall under the GM legislation, in a highly anticipated ruling that has divided the relevant stakeholders

Chinese firm Huawei leads European patent applications

For the first time in the history of the European Patent Office, a Chinese company came on top in terms of patent applications in 2017, a year that saw a new record in the number of requests for intellectual property protection in Europe.

Time to bust a few myths about innovation in the internet of things era

Small European tech companies might be about to lose out if the European Commission's new patent guidelines favour giants like Qualcomm and Ericsson, writes Morgan Reed.

GEOX founder: ‘Invest more in education, that’s the real problem’

Mario Moretti Polegato is one of Italy's most successful businessmen. Despite the EU institutions' constant talk about smart growth, he believes Europe has a lot to do to catch up with the US.

European SMEs can lead the world in the IoT revolution

European firms can lead the economy of tomorrow if our small and medium-sized companies obtain the necessary support, notably when it comes to innovation incentives and patent litigation, writes Hassan Triqui.

Unitary patent expected this year, despite Brexit 

The European Patent Office on Tuesday (7 March) said that the long-awaited EU patent will be launched this year and that it was confident that the UK would continue its involvement.

Antitrust action against Motorola, Samsung over Apple injunctions

The European Commission Tuesday (29 April) used antitrust rules to prevent telecoms companies using court orders for patent infringements on industry standard technology to restrict competition.

Time for sensible reforms on technology patents

Recent abuses of patents that are included in technological standards threaten to undermine the industry growth they were designed to promote, writes Jonathan Zuck.

Study: 35% of EU jobs depend on intellectual property rights

More than a third (35%) of European jobs rely on intellectual property rights (IPR) such as patents, trademarks and design rights according to a new pan-European study, which the EU executive will use to boost policymaking.

Smartphone Armageddon: Patents undermine the tech industry

The EU's use of antitrust disciplines will deter some of the legal injunctions, but not solve the underlying problems – they offer no solution to the problem of how design patents, sometimes with disputable merits, can be used to block competitors’ products, writes Hosuk Lee-Makiyama.

EU probes Motorola for overcharging on patents

The Commission today (3 April) opened an investigation into whether phonemaker Motorola Mobility breached antitrust rules by allegedly over-charging Microsoft and Apple for use of its patents in their products.

EU funding for stem cell research stirs debate

Stem cell research deemed "immoral" in the EU will nevertheless be funded by Brussels, possibly patented overseas and re-imported for sale, policymakers and experts said following the issuing of an opinion by an advocate-general of the European Court of Justice.

Special meeting may break deadlock over EU patents

The Belgian Presidency has proposed a new compromise text – seen by EURACTIV - to break a long-standing deadlock over EU patents which could lead to an historic deal at an extraordinary Competitiveness Council next Wednesday (10 November).

Belgian Presidency to test compromise on EU patent

The Belgian EU Presidency will put a non-paper on the table at today's informal Competitiveness Council aimed at breaking the deadlock over proposals for a single EU-wide patent system, which has been blocked for over a decade over language issues.

Structural funds ‘key to innovation plan’

The overwhelming majority of innovation experts want EU structural funds to be used to get innovative products and services to the market, according to a new survey. As the European Commission readies its new innovation plan, a consensus is also forming around the need to slash bureaucratic procedures and boost venture capital funding.

Patents and trade policy in the era of climate change

Calls for patent-free green technologies on the one hand and for trade barriers on the other highlight the deep rift between developing and industrial countries, write Thomas Dapp and Eric Heymann of Deutsche Bank Research.

European patent applications fall

The number of European patent applications filed last year fell for the first time in 20 years, according to new figures released by the European Patent Office (EPO).

Pharma industry prepares for end of ‘blockbuster medicines’

The days of the $1 billion blockbuster drug are over, according to a senior industry researcher. Big pharma is now investing in finding multiple uses for medicines developed to treat rare diseases, but is pushing the EU for regulatory changes to make research worthwhile.