[Fsfe-uk] Revisions to UK patent law published

[Paul Mobbs]

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Hi all,

The text of the revisions to the patents act is out. Mostly it's 
administrative stuff. The big issue is the linking to the approval processes 
of the European Patents Convention into UK law, in particular whether this 
would implement Article 52(2)(c) of the convention into UK law -- "schemes, 
rules and methods for performing mental acts, playing games or doing 
business, and programs for computers".


Text of bill online at (HTML + PDF):
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200304/ldbills/018/2004018.htm

To refer to the European Patent Convention see the European Patent Office 
pages at:
http://www.european-patent-office.org/legal/epc/


Text of No.10 press release (included below):
http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/page5192.asp


Patents Bill published

Planned changes to the Patents law will help business turn bright ideas into 
success.

The Bill's proposals will provide a more supportive framework, particularly 
for small businesses, to enforce patent rights and ensure that UK patent law 
continues to underpin and promote innovation.

Measures include:

* enabling the Patent Office to provide an independent non-binding opinion on 
patent validity or infringement to settle disputes over patent rights without 
parties having to resort to expensive litigation;

* bringing UK patent law into line with the revised European Patent Convention 
to reduce bureaucracy and make it simpler for UK businesses to operate across 
Europe;

* modernising UK patent law to be more responsive to customers needs by for 
example, allowing the Patent Office to make amendments to application forms 
without amending regulations; and

* modifying existing protection for alleged infringers to encourage 
out-of-court settlement of disputes whilst still deterring patent owners from 
making unreasonable allegations of infringement.

Lord Sainsbury, Minister for Science & Innovation, said:

"The Government is committed to improving the environment necessary to support 
and encourage innovation. Effective, flexible and up-to-date patent law is 
essential to help businesses turn bright ideas into successful products and 
processes."

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this party nor against the other but we are for justice and mercy and
truth and peace and true freedom, that these may be exalted in our nation,
and that goodness, righteousness, meekness, temperance, peace and unity
with God, and with one another, that these things may abound."
(Edward Burroughs, 1659 - from 'Quaker Faith and Practice')


Paul Mobbs, Mobbs' Environmental Investigations,
3 Grosvenor Road, Banbury OX16 5HN, England
tel./fax (+44/0)1295 261864

email - address@hidden
website - http://www.fraw.org.uk/mobbsey/index.html



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