Protectionist Interests Blocking Community Patent

"It is a mystery to me how Ministers at the so-called "Competitiveness Council" can keep a straight face when they adopt conclusions for the Spring European Council on making Europe more competitive and yet in the next breath backtrack on the political agreement already reached on the main principles of the Community Patent in March of last year" said EU Commissioner Bolkestein in a press release following the Competitiveness Council of Ministers meeting in Brusselson March 11, 2004. "I must stress that this is despite the very courageous and determined efforts by the Tánaiste Mary Harney to broker a compromise. I can only hope that one day the vested, protectionist interests that stand in the way of agreement on this vital measure will be sidelined by the over-riding importance and interests of European manufacturing industry and Europe's competitiveness. That day has not yet come."