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Harmonization in respect of Patent Applications and Others
European Union (EU) decided to introduce the system of a unified patent procedure within EU nations on March 3, 2003, thus permitting to drastically reduce the burden of translation into official languages to be imposed upon the EU member nations. This system brings a great advantage to Japanese companies which are filing patent applications, etc. to European nations. In addition, this system has further influence on Japan. The mutual use of prior art search and others is scheduled to be studied between Japan and European nations, following study of mutual use of prior art search and others between Japan and the United States. (An interim report of the study between Japan and U.S. will be presented in May 2003). Therefore, the above decision made by EU should greatly influence such mutual cooperation between Japan and Europe as well. Mutual cooperation between Japan and U.S. and between Japan and Europe, and the unified patent procedure within EU nations are in progress, thus facilitating harmonization in respect of patent applications and others, with the result that a global compromise has approached one step forward toward a standard for filing patent applications in future. |
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