Prospects for a single, unitary European Community patent

Abstract

It was the intention of the Treaty of Rome to create a common market in Europe, without barriers for the free circulation of goods. 40 years later, there is a common market with virtually no restrictions on the movement of people, goods, capital and services, there are good prospects for the common currency, but there is still not a common, unitary patent system in the European Union. "One market, one currency, one patent!" remains for the moment wishful thinking [[1]]. This is a key issue in the European patent arena. Legislative options for a reform of the system and implementation of the Community Patent Convention are discussed, in the light of the continuing problems of litigation and its attendant complexities and cost, of the national political dimension and of languages.