Public Consultation of the European Commission

Public consultation on supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) and patent research exemptions

The European Commission is engaged to consult, consider and propose further measures, as appropriate, to improve the patent system in Europe, notably for pharmaceutical and other industries, whose products are subject to regulated market authorisations.

In particular, the Strategy aimed to explore a recalibration of certain aspects of patent and supplementary protection certificate (SPC) protection, and announced that this recalibration could comprise the following 3 elements:

• the creation of a European SPC title
• an update of the scope of EU patent research exemptions
• the introduction of an SPC manufacturing waiver

The European Commission is doing now a public consultation on supplementary protection certificates (SPCs) and patent research exemptions for all interested in the subject (Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship, SMEs, etc.).

All submitted entries will be made publicly available on the website of the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. The contributions received and the identity of the contributor will be published on this website, unless the contributor objects to the publication of their personal data.

The online questionnaire is open until the 4th January, 2018 under https://ec.europa.eu/info/consultations/public-consultation-supplementary-protection-certificates-spcs-and-patent-research-exemptions_en.