Brussels, 28/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is due to adopt a communication on a single market for intellectual property rights (IPRs). In line with an initiative from Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier, the text sets out a strategic vision for IPRs. Intellectual property rights head the priorities set by the Commission in its action plan for the relaunch of the single market, the commissioner highlighted at the intellectual property summit which took place in Brussels on 2 December 2010.
Protection of intellectual property rights encourages investment in the development of innovative goods and services, ensuring a fair return for investment made. The Commission plans to put in place a regulatory framework to provide effective protection for IPRs while ensuring compliance with fundamental rights. This framework, which must, at the same time, ensure the dissemination of information, goods and services and compliance with competition law, will be one of the EU's top priorities. Currently, the IPR market is fragmented: there exists an assortment of patents and national dispute settlement systems, costly and of little effect, which bring legal uncertainty. The Commission advocates unitary patent protection and a unified patent litigation system which could reduce costs by as much as 80%. Similarly, development of an IPR valorisation instrument will facilitate the emergence of a genuine European patents and licences market. The creation of a simplified and transparent framework for online copyright licensing would greatly stimulate the legal offer of protected cultural goods across the EU. In the internet age, collective management has to be able to move towards European models which facilitate licensing covering several lands for a host of online services, while, at the same time, ensuring a high level of protection for rights holders. In addition, creation of a digital version of European and cultural institution collections, including orphan works, must be facilitated. Promotion of legal offer must go hand in hand with stronger European legislation on piracy and counterfeiting. The trademark system in Europe has also to be modernised in order to improve protection and to make the European system and national systems more coherent, thereby simplifying procedures, reducing costs and allowing the system to derive full advantage of new technologies which make research easier. The proposed strategy will evolve in the light of the experience acquired over time and depending on the speed of technological developments. (I.L./transl.rt)