CORDIS focus

European Commission Directorate-General For Enterprise And Industry

Description

Issue number 216, 10 March 2003
Scientific and technical research
Target audience: Specialised/Technical

Sujets

• Periodical publication
• RE/Search
• Research and development
• Sciences et techniques

Informations

• Publié par: EUROPEAN-COMMISSION-DIRECTORATE-GENERAL-FOR-ENTERPRISE-AND-INDUSTRY
• Nombre de lectures: 15
• Langue: English

Extrait

ISSN 1022-6559

B a s e d o n i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m C O R D I S N e w s a v a i l a b l e o n t h e Whet tbpa: /t/ w w w . c o r d i s . l u / n e w s

IN THIS ISSUE ercaemtnrgeeAnhedo Socio-economic research is the Community patent s k a e y y s  t   o R   e m s a e n a a rc gi h n  D g  G s   c D ie ir n e ti c f t ic o   r progress, The EU Competitiveness Council reached agreement on the creation of a Community paten Research in the social sciences and 3 March, following a compromise from the Greek Presidency. humanities will improve the The agreement outlines the main features for thOence a patent has been granted, the recipient wi relationship between scientific progr C e o s m s mu ity patent’s jurisdictional system, the lanb-e responsible for filing a translation in all officia and its benefit to society, said Jean- n François Marchipont, Director of  languages. guages to be used, costs, the  Community Directorate K Knowledge-based - economy and society - in the role of national patent o Commission’s Research DG, during a fi n   h a e e   s ai c n t   o d l h e e   r   a t l nd r  t n u f b o i t r a t o s i i sirtm   d n n o i i wiO EPe Thtnec a niater ll interview with CORDIS News page f   e 3 es. Community  patents, assum- Europe’s space community calls  ing The decision proves th  sole responsibility for the for continuation of manned spaceflight ces aterneg lare h  fry reD neoioziDimrtsi foC ni g-moum a fo noiitacilpp  tnd s a on ntra ghe xemanitaerkeG Reactions to the Commission’s Green searc , Paper on space have thus far focuse w d as not being over-amb  nity patents. The role of na- on support for a stronger European tious when he told CORDI  tional patent offices will be position in space and the continuati N o e n  to advise potential applicants, ws on 18 February that of manned spaceflight page 4   expected agreement on t  forward applications to the Politicians, scientists and officials begin to give shape to ERC OPEid ,messtanipae ntten- i rmfo nnataoief r dfoce tadviosaw soznedifnoc y.Mae or ioenD  Mib fesseu t r With the debate over the possible   creation of a European research garding to his Presidency’s compromise, but alssomall and medium-sized enterprises. council gathering momentum, CORD p I r S aised previous presidencies for their work on News looks at the contributions of leading political figures, scientists a t n h d .eussi e tiNae t th eehr ne of  o gauga seOPE nal  ent offional pattani gniec spore expeave ho hnd weco irne officials at an event in Paris on 19 February for clues as to the possibl ’ e  closely  orkingwith the EPO may also carry ou We are mainly concerned by addressing the isw- framework of a future ERC page s   u 6 es surrounding the judicial system for a Coms-earch work on behalf of the EPO if they wish. This munity patent […]. The role of national patent of w - ill assist those national offices wishing to maintain Commission adopts ‘research and innovation’ work programme ritia cmasscal   lfoifecn taoianve other o in vol am et edla lb osnsioil wPr. isov i seitivtiach rcea sins  verp yb deganam -sire pusio fci languages have mro erol se sebne , esstdiburionti fo seefdna eht  The Commission has adopted its wo d rk enci ’  problems are encountered in delivering Commu- programme for the ‘research and es. innovation’ activity area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FPp6a)ge 9 no  i s n suis t i a D n c e s ytp o t r y     c p t m s u   n f i i   t C y o   m a o p n a   c a .snosaer b evneenetaah t underway since 1975, when the then EC MembeMrinisters agreed on the creation of a unitary court Belgian and Finnish scientists yrmitnifong u C noevtnexbmuogr theS t‘aLtues sig w n h e ic d iw hb ller enopsbls a ifoe e n n ’ r i   o r n i   s   u o discover gene that regulates milk yield Community patent. The patent is deemed neceso-f jurisprudence. The European Court of Justice A gene that regulates the yield as w s e a l r l  have exclusive jurisdiction in actions and claim y by the Commission, the Council and the res-hall as the protein and fat content of milk has been discovered by a group of i e f d f c e e b r y o     d p   s p   r   o a r g e s n i t n o r i f   n n i t   e r t o i   e t t n   e d m r e c g a n e i elatgs rto ting s s a n p o   i e s wl iv l deniorec u n ni t t e y in order t u eh s o  a e e s c h r t     h f o a c p m   m e - t or nsioo  tmpco le onimi etatsid ilavytidoni f Belgian and Finnish scientists page 11 in Member States, and so as to ensure the freaend  counterclaims for invalidity. Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . m . 2 ovement of goods protected by patents.  litigation of Community patents shall take plac The News from the Greek Presidency . 7 gr ahe ttog inrda tnetap ,tnemee  yaPn s utio c C a m n m t h p t p   l e i ore befhw ,hci (rtC)CPntteou C cAoc Innovation: Policy and Practice . . . m 8 t suussti muned combti   n l o  l n ie f   o e   b eeht r w ht  oeei-ff  ealetts 0.1haT   etPhCted by 20stablish Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c 1 ia 1 l languages of the European Patent Officewill  be attached to and located at the Court of Firs Programme Implementation . . . . . ( 1 E 2 OP -nal  e e s h e T h   t .   s , e ) Engei b, shling   h e c u a E     r f F h n t e e r c e o a   md t n sn G  anitio n m . muan CropeIn Calls and Tenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 An application can, however be filed in a non- guage for such proceedings would be that of the General Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 E 7 PO language if accompanied by a translationM.  ember State where the defendant is based un Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The cost of the translation will then be borne b l y ess the use of another language is requested an Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . t 2 h 5  agreed e system.  by the CPC. Other Items Online . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 CORDIS on the Web . . . . . . . . . . 27 continued on page 2

PUBLISHED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION • INNOVATION

2

New report examines the overall social and economic dimension of FP5

A new report by the Commission’s DG Research into the overall socio-economic (SE) dimension of the Fifth Framework Programm concludes that the general SE relevance of FP5 projects is high, and that further action is needed to enhance the social and economi of research.

‘When looking at future prospects [...] it is  such a method, the report analyses cribed, however, as ‘an extremely challengU-sing not so much on increasing the amount ofing exercise’.  the level of dedicated funding for socio-eco- SE-related research where efforts appear One example of the difficulty of assessing nomic research activities within the main SE- necessary, but rather on the enhancemen t t he SE impact of a project is defining a tim f e ocussed programme of FP5 (Improving of the SE value that can be drawn from re f - rame in which to do so: ‘The SE effects of  H a uman Potential). It puts this figure at around search programmes,’ states the report. given research activity may not be visible i o X n  ,iwilnom li109 tnttinrogrammean lmauo ght eif telaeld  SthreE- ht n p re nemei st the short term, and their materialisation may  s pu T di hi m s  e l n e s a io ds n     t o o f    a a  p   r d o is je ti c n t  c ( t t i h o e n     in b p et ut w s e )  e a n n   d t   h it e s     S S E Edepend on the deployment of further tar- well overX million. 200 impact (the outputs).  geted initiatives: impact assessment shoulIdt also calculates that in the citizens and gov- In order to effectively maximise the impact be carried out within a time frame whichernance, support for the coherent develop- of Community research on the economy can be extended accordingly,’ states the re m - ent of policies, and science and society and society, the report first identifies the port. programmes of the Sixth Framework Pro- nive and quantitative tools to On a quantitative basis, the report admits gramme (FP6), the level of core SE-related m e e e a d s  f u o r r e     q s u u a c li h t  i at mpacts. Any attempt to mea t s- hat no systematic impact assessment ca fu n nding will rise toX 355 million. This figure ure societal and economic changes is de-be credibly carried out at present due to the will again be complemented by socio-eco- lack of appropriate datasets. Under FP5, how t n - h o e m m ic a   t r i e c  s a e n a d r   c h h o  c ri a z r o ri n e t d a   l o  p u r t i   o w r i i t t h y i   n a   r t e h a e s   . other ever, significant progress has been made towards developing methods and tools forRegardless of the levels of dedicated fund- general impact assessment, which should ing for SE-related research, the report facilitate the future creation of SE-specificstresses  the importance of this aspect of the published by: datasets. Framework  Programmes: ‘Socio-economic EUROPEAN COMMISSION t us jasd redesinoc eb ton dluoh fnentomporec o htomgn no a eimpact s ulti-crit t e , r e i n a smesssa tcapmi ot hcproae apativalit Auq on the other hand, can be attempted using  s o a m Enterprise Directorate-General oidntdh Th.- e xmnidsmheo’e titati noehtic‘  evaultaoi nrfmawero bk, rutheatasr eht irc - Innovation Directorate hich o by l  w v asse to e n h i u s   y s n s i t     g t   a s   e e v t l l a m n i awher c e -   s r u estances esrahc ret noi Communication and Awareness Unit (C.4 a ) ssceai for (f i o t   i ) v e i r t u s l e craeser c  i   t i s l e yc ; tre   d h i c e a   i a t v i   v ha ycilop deripsnnsctio L-2920 Luxembourg  societal problems drive the identi- whereby (such as legislation and Directives). Fax: [phone] fication of research needs.’ E-mail: [e-mail] A quantitative analysis of the SE dimen T - the report, please consult the followingo read sion of research programmes is more Web address: CORDIS focusis also available at: stfohtigra,du wrra ,ofisgnamplr exe, a e-occooi/conim/imps.lung/sroviw//:ptthidroc.ww http://www.cordis.lu/focus/en/ measurement of the amount of resources ocdiortina.hontm B fr a o s m e   d  C o O n R  i D n I f S o   r N m e ati s on that are explicitly committed to SE-rel- imssoin fromtheEuropean C odesfninamronoitBa w evant objectives. mo available onthe Web at: RNC91757  http://www.cordis.lu/news continued from page 1 Agreement reached on Community patent

CORDIS focusis published every two weeks by the Innovation Directorate as part of the European Community’s Sixth Research Framework Programme, and presents the latest news on European Union research and innovation and related programmes and policies.

CORDIS FOCUS - NUMBER 216

Previously, while some Member States sup-The decision follows a flurry of meetings ported the idea of a single court to hear patb-y the committee of Member States’ per- ent cases, others wanted to see the estabm- anent representatives to the EU lishment of regional chambers or (COREPER), at which the Greek Presi- decentralised judicial units.  dency first presented its own compromise proposal, and then a second compromise The Council agreed that, until the CPC is incorporating proposals from the German a c   r n e u at m ed b , e   r e   a o c f  h n   a M ti e o m na b l e  c r  o S u t r a t t s e     t s o h  b al e l     r d e e s s p ig o n n a si t - d e elegation. ble for jurisdiction in the meantime.

10 MARCH 2003