Call to press ahead with a common patent

Ten member states say Commission should give up the struggle to get Spain to agree on a Europe-wide patent.

On the eve of a meeting of ministers for competitiveness, ten member states have invited the European Commission to give up the struggle to get Spain to agree on a Europe-wide patent.

They argue that instead they should be allowed to go ahead with creating their own common patent, leaving out states opposed to the plans.

Last month Spain held out against proposals for patents to be filed in one of the three official languages of the European patent convention – English, French and German.

A group comprising Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Sweden has written to Michel Barnier, the European commissioner for the internal market, to request the use of enhanced co-operation rules to come up with a common patent. They are likely to be joined by the UK and Ireland.

The issue is on the agenda of the Competiveness Council tomorrow (10 December).