B+ Working Group
We have taken a leadership role in the international negotiations on substantive patent harmonization.
Ms Anne Rejnhold Jorgensen, Director of our International Affairs Department, is leading the discussions as Chair of the so-called "B+ Working Group". The group consists of the European Union and the European Patent Organization, all member states to these organizations as well as Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and the US. In all, there are over 35 countries and intergovernmental organizations involved in the discussions.
International patent harmonization talks began in 1985, when certain European countries decided to discuss whether to adopt a "grace period" for filing patent applications. This would allow inventors, especially small and medium sized companies, to obtain patent rights even if they inadvertently disclosed their technology innovations before filing a patent application. The talks continued under the auspices of the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva and encompassed a broad range of issues in addition to the grace period, including first-to-file, publication of applications, definition of prior art, prior user rights, and other critical issues.
However, little practical progress was made until 2005, when the B+ Working Group decided to consult among themselves in order to achieve practical progress. The working group last gathered in Tokyo in November 2006. As Chair of the B+ Working Group, Ms Jorgensen is currently undertaking informal consultations with interested offices to achieve a workable compromise to the important discussions concerning international patent harmonization.
Questions
If you have questions in regard to the B+ Working Group, you are welcome to contact Anne Rejnhold Jorgensen.
Last update: 29 July 2008
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