• Number: 559/PP/GRO/IMA/15/15153

A supplementary protection certificate (SPC) is an intellectual property right that serves as an extension of a patent right.

This study will be used by the Commission for an overall evaluation of the SPC system in the EU and to inform the decision on whether to come forward with a new SPC title at European level and whether to revise the existing SPC legislation.

The contracted study shall evaluate whether a new European SPC title, with the current or broader scope within the field of pharmaceutical and plant protection products, with improved provisions, is required to meet the requirements of current and expected innovative market developments in the EU.

With this primary purpose, the study shall evaluate the current SPC framework in terms of its legal efficiency in meeting its stated objectives given the development of directly affected and related product markets.

It shall also suggest whether the existing SPC rules need to be recalibrated given identified limitations.

The results could serve as a basis for an impact assessment for a future proposal by the Commission to recalibrate the existing EU SPC rules.

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