Report of the Harmonisation Committee
John Brown (GB), Chair
This report completed on 25th August 2017 covers the period since the previous report dated 20th February 2017.
The Harmonisation Committee deals with all questions concerning the worldwide harmonisation of Patent Law, and in particular within the framework of WIPO.
26th Session of the SCP
epi was represented by John Brown, Chairman of epi Harmonisation Committee, and Francis Leyder, epi President, at the 26th meeting of the Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP/26), held from 3rd to 6th July 2017 at WIPO in Geneva. epi pressed in favour of international harmonisation of privilege. SCP/26 decided that discussions on the main topics would continue, these being Exceptions and Limitations to Patent Rights, Quality of Patents, Patents and Health, Confidentiality of Communications between Clients and their Patent Advisors and Transfer of Technology. As usual, all meetings papers are available on the WIPO website:
http://www.wipo.int/meetings/es/details.jsp?meeting_id=42299
As stated in the Summary of the Chair (document SCP/26/7), various seminars and sharing sessions will be organised. The next session of SCP has tentatively been planned for 11th to 14th December 2017. In this regard, mention should be made to the fact that those who decide to run for membership of the epi Harmonisation Committee at the elections to be held at the epi Council Meeting in November should be ready to represent epi whenever needed, and in particular at an SCP meeting.
Group B+ Users' Symposium
epi was represented by Francis Leyder, epi President, and Chris Mercer, epi Past President, at a symposium entitled "Cornerstones for patent law harmonisation: a B+ Sub-Group / Industry Symposium" held on 20th June 2017 at the European Patent Office where proposals from the Industry Trilateral were discussed.
The meeting papers are available on the EPO website:
http://www.epo.org/news-issues/issues/harmonisation/group-b-plus.html
A report of the Symposium should be available in September. epi are planning to submit written comments on the Industry Trilateral proposals in the near future.
