Brussels, 18/01/2012 (Agence Europe) - In a debate on Wednesday 18 January at the European Parliament, President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso said it was pathetic that such an important issue as the European patent system was being blocked because of such a stupid dispute. The subject of the debate was one of the priorities for Denmark's six months at the helm of the EU, including the spat between London, Paris and Berlin about which country will host the European Patent Court. The three have been unable to reach agreement and are holding up the whole EU patent system. Barroso said the EU cannot afford to continue any longer without a proper European patent to make European companies more competitive. The idea is for a single European patent to apply across the EU as a cheaper and more uniform option than having to take out a number of national patents. Echoing Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier's words a week ago, Barroso called on the three leaders to reach agreement without delay, saying that a decision was urgently needed because Europe had to innovate to ensure economic growth, but innovation is seriously hampered by the current barrage of expensive red tape that Brussels has been working to improve for years now by introducing a European patent. (SP/transl.fl)