WIPO Patent Committee Moves To Strategic Consultations

By Catherine Saez

The chair of the World Intellectual Property Organization patent committee today circulated informal suggestions on ways forward for this week’s wide-ranging committee agenda.

After more than three days of discussions at the 21-25 May Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) meeting, delegates have retreated to informal consultations and discussions.

Chair Vittorio Ragonesi of Italy issued informal suggestions on future work this afternoon, saying they were “just some ideas that everybody can use.”

The text of the chair’s suggestions is here [pdf].

Acknowledging strong positions taken by SCP delegates during the week, he recalled the bumpy road of the committee and said future work was a delicate issue. He asked that delegates bear in mind that in October 2010 (IPW, WIPO, 16 October 2010) the agreement on the agenda of the SCP was only reached as a result of an extended process of discussions and represented a delicate balance, which should not be tipped.

Main issues on future work are exceptions and limitations to patent rights, quality of patents, patents and health, and technology transfer. Developing and developed countries have stood firm on their rather different perceptions of the international patent system and its effects.