The European Commission has unveiled proposals for an EU-wide patent to help make European firms more competitive by significantly reducing the cost of protecting their inventions

Date: 06/07/2000

The move comes after Union leaders called for the creation of a patent by the end of 2001 at their Lisbon summit in March. "The creation of a Community patent is an essential part of Europe's efforts to reduce the cost burdens on business," said Internal Market Commissioner Frits Bolkestein. "Often in the past Europe has provided the research, but it is others who have used it to a commercial advantage. We need to turn that around."