ESC opinion on the promotion of innovation through Community patents
On 25 February 1998 the Economic and Social Committee (ESC) of the European Communities adopted an opinion on the Commission's Green Paper on Community patents. The opinion underlines the fact that patents are an essential instrument for stimulating investment in the research and technology sector and that efficient and coherent Community legislation constitutes an essential element to ensure the competitiveness of industry. The Committee therefore recommends that: - One Community patent should cover the whole of the Community; - A Community patent system should coexist alongside national patents; - The price of obtaining a patent should be reasonable, particularly in relation to initial costs.