New Compromise On EU Patent
The proposal was made at a meeting of the committee of permanent representatives (COREPER) on February 26, 2003. Patent courts in Duesseldorf, Mannheim and Hamburg are important sources of revenue and influence for the respective regional governments of the German federal state.
The original framework proposed by the Greek Presidency of the EU Council called for a centralised court based in Luxembourg. The German proposal is seen as being complementary to the Greek compromise. The Greek Presidency has agreed to the German proposal being incorporated into a second document. The issue is due to be discussed at the March 3, 2003, meeting of the EU Competitiveness Council.
The hope is to get a centralised system in place by 2010. Germany is believed to have proposed a ten-year transition period - too long for most other members. The European Commission is threatening to withdraw the proposal for an EU patent if no progress is made by the end of March 2003.
