Séjourné canvasses governments on patents after dropped proposal

Published on 23/05/2025 - 8:56 GMT+2

EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné has asked personnel states to work together among themselves connected whether to support nan Commission’s volition to ditch a connection connected modular basal patents (SEP). 

The French commissioner for nan soul marketplace has said he wants to perceive backmost from governments successful nan adjacent 3 weeks. 

Member states are divided astir nan measurement guardant aft nan Commission said successful February it intended to retreat a scheme connected SEPs which it presented successful 2023, arguing that it couldn't spot an statement being reached. 

SEPs are patents that protect nan exertion deemed basal successful a method modular aliases specification and are utilized successful nan automotive, smart energy, and costs industry. Which intends that if a institution wants to make a merchandise that complies pinch method standards (such arsenic 5G aliases wifi), it needs to usage nan exertion covered by SEPs. Disputes complete nan worth of SEPs licenses are proliferating arsenic their usage increases.

The Commission connection intended to make nan process of licensing SEPs more transparent, which was welcomed by patent lobby organisations who called for modernisation of nan rules to make nan bloc much competitive. 

A group of 8 countries – Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain – called for different EU personnel states to support continued activity connected nan record during a gathering of manufacture ministers successful Brussels connected Thursday, arguing that nan rules are important for industry. The Spanish typical said that SEPs will beryllium beneficial for Europe’s automotive industry. Italy added that: “We request to guarantee nan worth chains are resilient successful nan existent geopolitical situation.” 

Ireland, Finland and Sweden, by contrast, backed nan Commission’s appraisal that since nary woody is wrong scope it should beryllium dropped. The Swedish typical said that nan connection had created “major divisions successful nan business community”, adding that “any inaugural successful this section needs to promote invention and not create undue regulatory burden.”

Finland added that nan determination to retreat is successful statement pinch nan Commission’s simplification plan. “We deliberation location are basal problems successful nan proposal, they cannot beryllium amended pinch this draft.”

European Parliament position

Séjourné told lawmakers of nan European Parliament’s Legal Affairs (JURI) successful April that nan Commission scrapped nan SEP connection successful a bid to scope a broader statement connected nan topic.

Some reason however, that nan incoming US management and nan EU Commission’s existent strategy for deregulation killed nan proposal. 

While nan mostly of nan personnel states do not spot nan request to proceed pinch nan topic, lawmakers want it kept connected nan table. 

The projected rules connected SEPs were agreed by nan Parliament successful February 2024 - pinch 454 votes for, 83 against and 78 abstentions - earlier nan Commission announced its volition to retreat nan file. 

German MEP Bernd Lange (EPP), who chairs nan heads of nan Parliamentary committees, is expected to talk nan rumor pinch Parliament President Roberta Metsola successful June. 

A missive signed by Lange and seen by Euronews, said that nan Committee connected Legal Affairs (JURI) – which is starring connected nan record –  “objects, by a ample majority, to nan projected withdrawal.” 

“The connection remains highly applicable owed to its effect connected competitiveness, transparency, and innovation, peculiarly for SMEs,” nan missive said.

The Commission has until August to determine whether to spell up pinch its volition to retreat nan plan.