European Union to introduce a unified patent system - Polidicks

[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20679665[/url] [quote=BBC News][B]Euro MPs have voted to introduce a unified patent system.[/B] The system would allow inventors to register their innovation with a single European Union (EU) authority rather than in each of its 27 member states, and is designed to save time and money. There would also be a unified patent-court system. The move is due to be introduced in 2014. But Spain and Italy continue to oppose the change, saying the new regime would discriminate against their languages. The new rules would say applications and approvals need only to be made available in one of three languages, English, French and German. At present, applicants are spending thousands of pounds translating their paperwork into each country's native language. Italy and Spain suggest that as a result "commercial trade in innovative products will be favoured for undertakings which work in German, English or French". But a senior adviser to the European Court of Justice has advised that it reject their plea. A panel of judges has still to consider the case. [B]Software patents[/B] Eurochambres - an organisation that represents EU countries' chambers of commerce - called the vote in favour of the scheme a "breakthrough". "[It] will significantly reduce administrative burdens and boost European innovation," it said in a statement. However, April - a French free software-advocacy group - has warned the move could open the door to software-patent litigation on a scale recently seen in the US. It says the European Patent Office (EPO) has shown itself willing to grant thousands of software patents - and worries the EU could end up with a system in which appeals against such judgements are decided according to the EPO's own rules. "MEPs voted in favour of a legally uncertain system that does not not provide any checks and balances against threats to innovation such as software patents," said spokeswoman Jeanne Tadeusz. "The European Patent Office will gain amazing powers, even though its governance has been highly criticised, especially with regard to its practice of granting software patents, against the letter and the spirit of European patent law."[/quote]

Good job EU... keep up the good work.

But British values :( [editline]11th December 2012[/editline] How long before Brussels patents human rights, so no one else can have them

[QUOTE] But Spain and Italy continue to oppose the change, saying the new regime would discriminate against their languages. The new rules would say applications and approvals need only to be made available in one of three languages, English, French and German. At present, applicants are spending thousands of pounds translating their paperwork into each country's native language. Italy and Spain suggest that as a result "commercial trade in innovative products will be favoured for undertakings which work in German, English or French".[/QUOTE] To be fair they are right.

[QUOTE=Mindtwistah;38790690]To be fair they are right.[/QUOTE] Kind of defeats the point of unifying if you still have tot submit it in all languages.

But patents are bad....

[QUOTE=IPK;38790739]But patents are bad....[/QUOTE] And the EU is typically pretty good at filtering the crap from the good. I'm still a little bit concerned, but the EU typically goes in favour of the consumers, so I'm hoping that a unified European system will grant fewer bullshit patents than we're currently seeing. I'm going to go out on a limb and be optimistic about this. What I really want is a total global rehaul and a single international patent system, independantly moderated, that has stringent rules to prevent the current abuse, but that's never going to happen.

[QUOTE=IPK;38790739]But patents are bad....[/QUOTE] No they aren't. It allows somebody to profit off their innovation and have it protected.

[QUOTE=Mindtwistah;38790690]To be fair they are right.[/QUOTE] How about we make sure patents can only be filed in Latin? That way we'd be annoying every European equally!

[QUOTE=deltasquid;38790856]How about we make sure patents can only be filed in Latin? That way we'd be annoying every European equally![/QUOTE] Equal opportunity discrimination, I like it

[QUOTE=Mindtwistah;38790690]To be fair they are right.[/QUOTE]Considering they were translating into dozens of languages anyway, seems like a saving. That being said, I wouldn't have thought it'd be that much more difficult for them to allow patents written in any EU member state language.

[QUOTE=scout1;38790957]Equal opportunity discrimination, I like it[/QUOTE] The Vatican would pull some bullshit on us, we should have it in Gaulish or something.

[QUOTE=deltasquid;38790856]How about we make sure patents can only be filed in Latin? That way we'd be annoying every European equally![/QUOTE] Make it something random like Klingon.

The bigger issue is that the European Parlament has no veto right over the new patent agancy and that give the guys sittig in it ultimate decision power over how to patent life, genetics and so on, issues that were HEATED discussions i each country before.

[QUOTE=deltasquid;38790856]How about we make sure patents can only be filed in Latin? That way we'd be annoying every European equally![/QUOTE] What about sign language? Try writing that down!

[QUOTE=deltasquid;38790856]How about we make sure patents can only be filed in Latin? That way we'd be annoying every European equally![/QUOTE] Actually, wouldn't this be bad for germanic languages? Since they didn't evolve from latin, it's even harder for that group :v:

'merry christmas farage'

I gotta say, EU's pretty good at stuff. Say what you want about the economy, for the most part EU's worked out great, you just don't hear about it all that much. Regardless of my like for EU, I'm glad we (Norway) didn't join it.

[QUOTE=mac338;38792522]I gotta say, EU's pretty good at stuff. Say what you want about the economy, for the most part EU's worked out great, you just don't hear about it all that much. Regardless of my like for EU, I'm glad we (Norway) didn't join it.[/QUOTE] EU is economically great Too bad some countries fucked up theirs and drag the entire zone down.

[QUOTE=Killuah;38791765]The bigger issue is that the European Parlament has no veto right over the new patent agancy and that give the guys sittig in it ultimate decision power over how to patent life, genetics and so on, issues that were HEATED discussions i each country before.[/QUOTE] Does it? That's a bit of an issue then. If we could have EU Parliament legislations that can cancel entire patents or parts of it, that would be nice. This is just like the independent central bank issue. It drives me up the wall.

You poor bastards. Brb, patenting a circle.

[QUOTE=redhaven;38793126]Does it? That's a bit of an issue then. If we could have EU Parliament legislations that can cancel entire patents or parts of it, that would be nice. This is just like the independent central bank issue. It drives me up the wall.[/QUOTE] Well I just saw a pretty lengthy non-mainstream media report on it so I would say yes.

Meanwhile in America, We are moving towards a more streamlined Patent process. So take that EU! Insight into our new system. [img]http://meblogwritegood.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/screen-shot-2011-12-12-at-4-12-52-pm.png[/img]

[QUOTE=Squad;38800917]Meanwhile in America, We are moving towards a more streamlined Patent process. So take that EU! Insight into our new system. [img]http://meblogwritegood.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/screen-shot-2011-12-12-at-4-12-52-pm.png[/img][/QUOTE] I thought that was your current system. You're streamlined system is this: [img]http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mavb0sy1eJ1r3yxp8o1_400.gif[/img]

[QUOTE=Janus Vesta;38801750]I thought that was your current system. You're streamlined system is this: [img]http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mavb0sy1eJ1r3yxp8o1_400.gif[/img][/QUOTE] Damn it, I looked for that bird.