Maive Rute explained the context, main aspects and impact of the proposal for a regulation on Standard Essential Patents, notably in view of the (SEPs) patents race with China and the US, the lack of transparency and legal certainty of the current, limited SEPs framework. She explained that the proposed conciliation procedure would help avoiding costly litigation, including in particular for SMEs. She also launched a discussion with the heads of national patent offices on their participation, in particular, for the essentiality checks for SEPs as foreseen by the draft regulation. It was agreed that trainings for experts were necessary.

The conference also covered other topics such as the value of intellectual property rights as intangibles for companies also to attract investment.  

A separate panel addressed the novelties and benefits that the new scheme for geographical indications for craft and industrial products (CIGIs) will bring. In particular, it will offer consumers and producers additional protection for products such as Murano glass, Donegal tweed, Porcelaine de Limoges, Solingen cutlery and Boleslawiec pottery.  

EU regions with products covered by the new geographical indication protection will also benefit as it will help them retain skills, jobs and traditional know-how while boosting tourism. The new scheme will enter into force in November 2023 and be fully applicable in 2025. 

Finally, another panel discussed about the latest reform of EU designs legislation and SMEs support policies in the field of intellectual property rights. Participants welcomed the objectives pursued by the designs reform aiming at modernising and simplifying the rules and fees and improving the designs protection in the EU. Also the SME (IP) Fund offered by the Commission and the EUIPO was praised as an excellent support mechanism for SMEs to to protect their intangibles. 

Intellectual property: harmonised EU patent rules (europa.eu)
Geographical indications for craft and industrial products (europa.eu)
International meeting on industrial property (europa.eu)