Brussels, 10/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - Italy “will not accept blackmail” was the comment made by Italian European Policy Minister Andrea Ronchi, on Wednesday 10 November, at the meeting of industry ministers from the 27 EU member states to try and reach agreement on the official language system for the new European patent (authorised languages into which patents must be translated). Ronchi was reacting to a British move to get out of the deadlock caused by Italy and Spain's rejection of the current suggestion that the European patent should be translated into three languages - German, English and French. In a letter to Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier, the United Kingdom, backed by Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Sweden, calls for the enhanced cooperation mechanism to be used for the European patent to enable participating countries to press ahead. Ronchi said that Italy would not negotiate with a gun to its head. In the letter, the UK argues that the European Commission's initial proposal dates back ten years and if agreement is not reached, then companies will be deprived of their right to a European patent. (Gp/transl.fl)