Brussels, 29/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 29 May, the Competitiveness Council debated the European patents system, working from a Slovenian Presidency report on progress on developing a Community patent and European case law to regulate disputes over patents (see EUROPE 9670). Slovenian Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak was pleased that the Slovenian Presidency had been able to make concrete proposals. He said the “dilemma” would be to find a fair balance between the cost and the effectiveness of the future European patents system, particularly with regard to language. “Some member states are calling for translations in all languages, others think that a simple system has more advantages,” he noted, hoping that negotiations could be completed quickly, perhaps under French Presidency, which begins in July. France's task will be all the more difficult in that national differences seem to be resurfacing as the more difficult issues are raised. (M.B.)