34th Session of the WIPO Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) - General Statement

Chair,

1. The Czech Republic is honoured to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. First, we would like to congratulate you and your vice-chairs on your re-election. We look forward to working efficiently under your able guidance this week. We would also like to thank the WIPO Secretariat for its excellent work in preparing this meeting and providing us with all the relevant documents.
2. We are pleased to note the success of the previous session of the Committee in constructively discussing and advancing the five main topics on the agenda of the SCP and deciding on its future work. The EU and its Member States are committed to engaging constructively in our further discussions around the agreed work programme this week.
3. In order to take full advantage of the patent system, it is essential to know the similarities and differences of patent law systems as well as to learn from best practices across the globe. The SCP as a multilateral forum is of great importance for the further development, harmonisation and improvement of the international patent system as requested by users worldwide. We continue to believe that, in addition to its contribution to the technical quality of patents, the SCP should serve as a venue for the evolution of the harmonised substantive patent law in the future.
4. The quality of patents, including opposition systems, has always been a priority for the EU and its Member States. Further work in this area is beneficial to all countries, irrespective of their level of development, since it would enhance the credibility, reliability, and stability of the international IP system. In addition to important deliberations on AI, we also welcome the fact that a further study on the sufficiency of disclosure contained in SCP/34/5 has been prepared and will be presented for discussion later this week. We look forward to the sharing sessions on expedited patent examination mechanisms at IP offices as well as on the patentability of inventions using artificial intelligence. AI technology provides numerous opportunities and challenges to the administration of the patent system, which are of fundamental importance for all Member States. We are convinced that sharing experiences and information on these topics in a forum such as the SCP is highly beneficial for all Member States.
5. The EU and its Member States attach great importance to the confidentiality of communications between clients and their patent advisors. We look forward to continuing discussions on recent developments and experiences, as well as to a sharing session focusing on cross-border aspects of this important topic.
6. In addition, we found the information exchange regarding the positive contributions of the patent system to enhancing innovation, technology transfer and the industrial development of countries useful. Technology transfer may have a great capacity to boost economic relationships in international business and is a tool that can help to foster innovation and development. However, we want to reiterate our belief that the SCP should avoid duplicating the efforts of the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) in this matter.
7. The European Union and its Member States are committed to contributing to the work of the Committee in accordance with the agreed work plan for future meetings. We reiterate the importance of retaining the delicate balance between the topics of the SCP.
8. We are looking forward to continuing interesting discussions and constructive information sharing in the Committee and we hope to achieve results at the end of the session as well as in future work.

Thank you.