AIPPI adopts resolutions on EPLA and other important patent issues

On 11 October 2006, during the 40th World Congress of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI) in Gothenburg, Sweden, 1,500 national representatives of 44 countries voted on a number of resolutions on pressing IP issues.

A Resolution on EPLA (the European Patent Litigation Agreement), was accepted by the AIPPI representatives. It

"urges the member states of the European Patent Organization

a) to adopt EPLA after convocation of a Diplomatic Conference as early as possible.

b) to invite the European Community represented by the European Commission to co-operate in the preparatory work for the conference with the goal it being ensured that the legal rules of EPLA be in conformity with Community law."

Furthermore the AIPPI World Congress accepted a resolution on other important IP issues, among which the harmonization of national laws on assignment and license of IP rights and the treatment of IP licenses in bankruptcy proceedings.

The Resolution “Q190”, adopted and prepared by a Working Group and discussed by representatives of all countries present at the AIPPI World Congress, calls for harmonization of laws regarding the treatment of assignment of IPRs. IPRs can only be successfully treated as collateral if more certainty is given to the assignee of those rights, in many cases banks and other financial institutions. By doing so, the AIPPI working groups, supported by the General Assembly of the AIPPI, expects that the economic importance of IPRs and its use in financial transactions, will be enhanced.

(see column at the right side "IP Docs" for translations of the Resolution Q190 in Spanish, French, and German)