INTERNATIONAL TREATIES
EC Treaty
Green Paper on the Community patent
On 24 June 1997 the Commission of the European Communities presented a Green Paper on the Community patent and the patent system in Europe entitled "Promoting innovation through patents" (COM (97) 314 fin.).
The Green Paper is intended to provide a basis for consultation with interested parties on the patent system, present and future, in Europe. The aim of the consultation is to give the Commission as full a picture as possible of patent protection under the CPC, EPC and national patent laws in order for it to be able to assess whether users' needs are being met and whether new measures ought to be taken at Community level.
The Green Paper can be obtained from the Commission (Directorate-General XV.E.3, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200, B-1049 Brussels) or the Office for Official Publications of the European Community (L-2985 Luxembourg). It can also be accessed on the internet under "http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/dg15/dg15home.html".
Observations on the Green Paper should be sent to the Commission (DG XV.E.3) by 7 November 1997 at the latest. A hearing is planned for 25 and 26 November 1997 in Luxembourg.