Paranoia in the Patent World?

According to a January 27, 2005 posting by Intellectual Property Watch, "sources from some developing countries and consumer groups have raised concerns that [next week's closed meeting on patent harmonization at the USPTO, expected to include only the United States, the European Union, Japan, Canada, and Australia] is being held in part to threaten the Geneva-based U.N. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and certain large developing countries that have pushed for a development agenda within WIPO."

"This exploratory meeting will be an important step in getting substantive patent law harmonisation back on track," USPTO undersecretary and director Jon Dudas said in a statement earlier this month announcing the meetings scheduled for February 3 -4, 2005. "Harmonisation promises to bring substantial benefits such as consistent patent examination standards throughout the world, reduced patent office workloads and higher patent quality. The sooner we can agree on a basic framework, the sooner we can begin providing these benefits to all patents stakeholders – patent applicants, patent offices and the public alike."