[FYI] FICPI on Grace Period

["PA Axel H Horns" <horns@t-online.de>]

http://www.ficpi.org/ficpi/newsletters/45/resolengl.html

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RESOLUTION G: INTERNATIONAL GRACE PERIOD  

FICPI, the International Federation of Intellectual Property 
Attorneys, broadly representative of the free profession of more than 
70 countries, assembled at its World Congress held in Vancouver from 
June 12 to June 16, 2000, passed the following Resolution :  

Taking note of the successful conclusion of the Patent Law Treaty on 
June 2, 2000 and welcoming the future implementation of the Treaty in 
national and regional patent legislation world-wide as a vital 
instrument to further harmonization of formalities and procedural 
provisions for the filing and prosecution of patent applications,  

Having considered  

1.the development of patent law at the national and regional level to 
meet the needs of business caused by the rapidly increasing use of 
information technology, including in particular the use of the 
Internet for exchange of information within the scientific and 
technological community, and  

2.the forthcoming revision of the European Patent Convention to be 
concluded at the Diplomatic Conference from 20th to 29th November, 
2000,  

Confirms its previous and continued support for a harmonized 
international grace period,  

Resolves that urgent reconsideration of the introduction of an 
international novelty grace period into the laws of as many 
territories as possible should be undertaken as an initial step to 
further the development and harmonization of substantive patent law 
in step with the development of technology and industry, and  

Urges the Commission of the European Community and the Administrative 
Council of the European Patent Organization to take appropriate and 
urgent measures to promote such reconsideration.  

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