Common interest
Toespraak van Eurocommissaris voor de Interne Markt Charlie McCreevy voor de Legal Affairs Commissie van het Europees Parlement over 'Stocktaking on industrial and intellectual property'.
"What does business want? In my view it wants: clear substantive rules, ideally agreed at a pan-European, or even a global level; access to simple inexpensive procedures for obtaining IPR rights; and reliable, predictable and inexpensive remedies when disputes arise. How has Europe met this challenge?"
Niets dan lof over zowel het Gemeenschapsmerk als het Gemeenschapsmodel. Iets strenger is McCreevy ten aanzien van octrooien: "We owe it to industry, investors, researchers, to have an effective patent regime in the EU. Unless we can find agreement soon on the Community Patent, this is not going to happen."
"I do not see the circumstances arising in the next few months that will create the conditions for the one determined effort I envisage. Accordingly, I would like to use the next three months to launch and engage in a dialogue to determine what might usefully be done to provide Europe with a sound IPR framework. As well as continuing to strive for the Community Patent an issue to be considered is the existing framework of the European Patent Office, especially the litigation arrangements. I would like to hear what stakeholders think of this idea. I know that some of you have suggested a third way: the harmonisation of national patent rules. Of course, at this stage, all avenues should be explored. But before going up this avenue, we would need to be sure of the added value, so I intend also to seek views on this suggestion."
Tot slot nog een enkel woord over het actieplan modernisering van company law en corporate governance.
"The main underlying principles in the Action Plan have been enhancing transparency and empowering shareholders. These principles will remain valid for the second phase."The time has come to focus on the second phase of the Action Plan. A consultative document will soon be posted on the web and stakeholders and all interested parties will have a three-month deadline for reply. This consultation will seek the stakeholders’ views, on all measures scheduled for adoption in the medium to long term and whether they are still relevant. Stakeholders will also be invited to comment on modernisation and simplification of company law directives."
Lees hier de hele speech.
Er gaat bijna geen week voorbij, of KPN en Pretium ontmoeten elkaar elkaar in de rechtzaal (zie 
Rechtbank Haarlem, 29 november 2005, rolnr. HA ZA 05-536, LJN: AU7042 Aviation Technics B.V. tegen Technical Service 767 B.V. De handelsnaam Aviation Technics voor vliegtuig-onderhoudsbedrijven is niet beschrijvend.
Adformatie van 24 november jl. bericht dat het Amerikaanse koffieconcern Starbucks haar naam in Rusland mag gebruiken. De naam bleek bij toetreding tot de Russische markt al te zijn geregistreerd door een lokale zakenman. Deze was vanzelfsprekend bereid afstand te doen van de naam, maar dan wel voor de lieve som van $600.000,- Starbucks stapte hierop naar de rechter en werd een van de eerste westerse bedrijven die er in slaagde via de Russische rechter deze merkkaping succesvol aan te pakken.
