Quality and quantity: Can we have both within the European patent system?

Abstract

Scrutiny of patent systems is never far away. The European Patent Office has long faced rising levels of 'inventive activity'. Fast, fluid technologies and strategic firm behaviour add to the difficulties faced in trying to reward inventions with commensurate rights. Analysis suggests stronger patent protection does not necessarily equate with more innovation and greater diffusion of knowledge; nor do more patents lead to or reflect more innovation. This article focuses on improving the fundamental workings of the European system as is stands, and proposes a focus on quality and patent examiners as the best way to do so.

Prevailing impact trends in patenting

“…19 It is difficult to gauge to what extent a category of applicants, let's call them system 'abusers', prefer to have a 'doubtful' (i.e. weak and less costly) registration than none at all; or for that matter, a stronger (more costly) set of patent rights (Elsmore, 2009). Patent rights are after all negative in nature and 'pending rights' may be sufficient to indicate innovative activity.…”

“…8 That said it remains unclear if greater patent activity reflects greater economic activity. There is general scepticism as to whether the impressive statistics necessarily reflect greater levels of innovation and research findings have doubted whether social benefits increase in line with more patenting (STOA, 2008;Elsmore, 2009;Opperman, 2009). It is interesting that since 1995, the average annual rate of nearly 5% growth for worldwide filings to more than 1.76 million in 2006 is directly comparable to the overall rise in economic activity during the same period (WIPO, 2008).…”

“…However, greater complexity in the technologies, claims and applications will make it harder for examiners to accurately determine the state-of-the-art. As a result, much more emphasis needs to be placed on the role of, and support given to, the examiners (Elsmore, 2009). …”

Getting patent policy right: a conclusion to a special issue on the European patent system

“…First, we need a more transparent articulation of exactly who the 'policymaker' is, and greater recognition and support of those who run the European system from day to day: the EPO staff and examiners (Elsmore, 2009). Chinese patent examiners are proving themselves to be of a very high standard.…”

A Qualidade Dos Privilégios Patentários Concedidos No Brasil Sob a Ótica Das Ações Judiciais De Nulidade De Patentes

“…Críticos proeminentes do sistema patentário argumentam que um declínio de décadas na qualidade das patentes tem prejudicado a eficácia do sistema. Autores como Adam Jaffe e Josh Lerner (2007), James Bessen e Michael Meurer (2008), Matthew Elsmore (2009), João Gilberto Sampaio Ferreira da Silva e Suzana Borschiver (2009) e Bernard Caillaud e Anne Duchêne (2011), implícita ou explicitamente, apontaram a concessão de patentes de baixa qualidade como resultado do mau funcionamento de um sistema patentário e da formação de um círculo vicioso. Segundo os autores, com o acúmulo de pedidos de patentes (backlog), a qualidade média do exame diminui, incentivando pedidos oportunistas e com baixa inventividade, que, por sua vez, reduzem ainda mais a qualidade do exame em razão da sobrecarga de trabalho dos examinadores.…”