EUROPEAN PATENT : ITALY SEEKS PATENT COURT SEAT.

Italy has asked the Danish Council Presidency to assess the possibility of it being considered as a candidate for the seat of the central division of the European court system for the future unitary patent. Its chances are close to zero, since the closing date for submitting candidacies was 4 December 2011.

Italy - with Spain - is opposed to the translation rules proposed for registration of the future patent and decided not to participate in the enhanced cooperation setting up the unitary patent, launched by the Council's decision of 10 March 2011. Each of these two countries has brought an action for annulment of this decision before the EU Court of Justice. Italy nevertheless intends to participate in the patent court system, as announced by its European Affairs Minister, Enzo Moaveros Milanesi, at the Competitiveness Council, on 5 December 2011.

The court system is one of the components of the patent package. In addition to two draft regulations...