Title: Patentability of biotechnological inventions under European Patent Convention The topic of thesis is the patentability of biotechnological inventions under the European Patent Convention (Munich, 1973) (hereinafter the "EPC") with special emphasis on decision making practices of the European Patent Office. At the beginning, the author deals with general patent law, in particular with fundamental substantive conditions of patentability of inventions, both positive and negative. A brief explanation is then devoted to the definition of biotechnological science and biotechnological invention. In the subsequent part of the thesis, the author discusses the sources of patent law in general and in relation to biotechnological inventions. The chapter is divided into three parts - international, European and national sources. Discussion regarding European sources is split into two subsections dealing with EPC and EU law. The author examines in particular the complicated legislative procedure for the adoption of the Directive 98/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council dated 6th July 1998 on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions and its impact on European patent law. National sources address primarily imperfect transposition of Directive 98/44/EC into the Czech law. The next chapter is...

The accumulated importance of the patent law morality exclusion over the recent decades has been prompted by the increased protection sought for biotechnological inventions. This raises specific ethical concerns such as the respect for human dignity. The morality exclusion is regarded as an indispensable safeguard in the patent system of the 21st century, but its application and scope remains unclear, not least due to a division of competence between the European Union (EU), the European Patent Organisation and national Member States. In addition, the international Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) under the auspices of the World Trade Organization (WTO) sets minimum standards for the operation of the morality exclusion. In this study the scope, interpretation and application of the morality exclusion in European and international patent law is described and analysed by applying the legal dogmatic method. The object of study is the European patent law morality exclusion in terms of Article 53(a) and Rule 28 of the European Patent Convention and Article 6 of Directive 98/44/EC on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions. A connected purpose of this study is to describe, problematize and analyse the compliance by the regional rules (EU, European Patent Organisation) with the international framework provided by Article 27.2 of the TRIPS Agreement. Although this study is not limited to specific technologies, the majority of issues raised are done so in relation to the morality exclusion concerning biotechnological inventions, which is reflected in this work. Furthermore, the theoretical framework is dependent on the functioning of the morality exclusion in the respective systems, both regional (EU, European Patent Organisation) and international (WTO). This approach necessitates a consideration of the characteristics of each legal system. This thesis uncovers the differences in the interpretation of the morality exclusion (both within as well as between the legal systems), which causes legal uncertainty in this particularly complex field where patent law and ethics interact. The effects of such variations on the scope and application of the morality exclusion are clarified and critically reviewed. According to the wording of the morality exclusion, the commercial exploitation of an invention with regard to morality or ordre public is a central prerequisite in the assessment of excluded subject matter. Consequently, the interpretation of this particular requirement is subject to critical review, since its implications are decisive for the scope of application of the morality exclusion. It is furthermore questioned whether the European morality exclusions are TRIPS-compliant, and the possible effects (and available remedies) of non-compliance for the EU legal order are analysed. This in turn involves issues of norm conflicts in international and EU law. The author presents a critical analysis, investigates the interaction between legal systems and suggests clarifications in order to attain the optimal functioning of the morality exclusion.

This thesis analyzes Turkey&rsquo / s integration to European Patent System with special reference to the role of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) within this process. The main purpose is to understand the position of SMEs in Turkey within the industrial property (IP) system in general, patent system in particular, as their effective usage of the IP system is crucial in terms of proper integration of Turkey into the European Patent System. In this respect, the thesis aims to answer two basic questions, namely, &ldquo / What is the role of SMEs within the process of Turkey&rsquo / s integration to European Patent System&rdquo / and &ldquo / How can a more effective use of patent system by the SMEs in Turkey be achieved?&rdquo / Within this framework, a field research was conducted in three different industrial areas in Ankara with 136 SMEs active in manufacturing industry. Within the scope of the field research, it was tried to measure the R&amp / D capacity as well as the extent to which the industrial property system, especially the patent system, in Turkey is effectively used by the participant firms. According to the results of the field research, some proposals were tried to be put forward in terms of the achievement of a more effective use of the industrial property system in general, patent system in particular, by the SMEs in Turkey.

<p>Computer programs must give a technical effect that goes beyond"normal physical interaction"to be considered to belong to a technical field. The invention shall be be susceptible of industrial application, which means that it should be possible to reproduce or use in any other industrial way. The reqirement that the invention shall be new means that the technique must not be previously known because of patents, published articles, etc. That an invention shall be a contribution to the state of the art in a technical field means that the invention shall not be obvious to invent for a person skilled in the art. Patents do effect the innovation among the inventers, but in most industries most inventions would be invented independent if there was a patent system or not. Only in pharmaceuticals- and chemicals industries, the patent is of a great importance. Patents are probably of lesser importance for the computer industry than for those industries, even though the industry is of great importance for many other industries and therefor, the patent system can be of great importance for some computer-implemented inventions as well. There is a risque the the competition is negatively affected by the patent system, becuase of the monopoly it gives. I believe, though, that the gain of the patent system compensates for the risque of imperfections in the market. The free movement for goods, persons, services and capital will probably not be affected if the proposal of the directive about patentibility of computer-implemented invention will get passed.</p>

Computer programs must give a technical effect that goes beyond"normal physical interaction"to be considered to belong to a technical field. The invention shall be be susceptible of industrial application, which means that it should be possible to reproduce or use in any other industrial way. The reqirement that the invention shall be new means that the technique must not be previously known because of patents, published articles, etc. That an invention shall be a contribution to the state of the art in a technical field means that the invention shall not be obvious to invent for a person skilled in the art. Patents do effect the innovation among the inventers, but in most industries most inventions would be invented independent if there was a patent system or not. Only in pharmaceuticals- and chemicals industries, the patent is of a great importance. Patents are probably of lesser importance for the computer industry than for those industries, even though the industry is of great importance for many other industries and therefor, the patent system can be of great importance for some computer-implemented inventions as well. There is a risque the the competition is negatively affected by the patent system, becuase of the monopoly it gives. I believe, though, that the gain of the patent system compensates for the risque of imperfections in the market. The free movement for goods, persons, services and capital will probably not be affected if the proposal of the directive about patentibility of computer-implemented invention will get passed.

This master thesis deals with the European Patent System. The aim of this thesis is to provide the reader with a complex review of the Patent Law at the european level from its early beginning, when in the 70's was signed the European Patent Convention at the Munich Diplomatic Conference, up to the present. The thesis is systematically divided into five chapters and each chapter also contains several subchapters. The first chapter is dedicated to historical development of the European Patent. In the second chapter there is a brief description of the European Patent Convention and its two most important revisions. The third, most extensive chapter is dedicated to the European Patent Organisation which was founded in 1977 on the legal basis of the European Patent Convention. I deal especially with its two fundamental bodies - the European Patent Office and the Administrative Council. There is also a definition of the term of patentability as it is regulated by European Patent Convention and a characteristic of the European Patent Application. A separate subsection of the third section focuses on the patent granting procedure in front of the European Patent Office. I deal also with the character of the European Patent as such, I try to critically evaluate its biggest deficiencies but also to point...

本論文旨在提供台灣廠商在統合專利制度下之歐洲專利策略建議。本論文首先介紹以歐洲專利公約為主之現行歐洲專利制度，其次再介紹統合專利制度與統一專利法院制度。接著再以現階段我國廠商於歐洲專利申請狀況切入，分析現階段我國廠商於歐洲專利之布局狀況，再針對未來即將施行之統合專利制度，對台灣廠商之申請人及專利權人提出策略建議。 歐洲專利公約自1977年生效後，申請人向歐洲專利局遞交歐洲專利申請後，經過指定國程序，即可在歐洲專利公約之會員國間取得專利保護。某些會員國亦會要求遞交翻譯文件及繳納相關規費。然而，相比於美國、日本及中國，現行的歐洲專利制度是分離破碎的，進而導致申請人須負擔高額的申請費用與訴訟成本，同時亦有許多法律不確定性。在2013年2月，歐盟終於完成協商，正式簽訂確立歐洲統合專利與統一專利法院之條約。統一專利法院將在所有參與之會員國間擁有專屬管轄權。統合專利制度之下，申請人獲得歐洲專利之費用下降、申請程序更為簡化，且提供更有利於申請人之申請方式。如此，統合專利制度預期將提升申請專利之效益與吸引更多的申請者。統一專利法院制度之專屬管轄權，將提升專利有效性與訴訟之法律安定性，且訴訟相關費用之減免，亦有利於專利權人。 統合專利制度的所有準備工作雖已於2015年陸續完成，但仍需要德國、英國及另外任一個歐盟成員國批准歐洲統一專利條約方可生效，預計最快可在2017年達成。統一專利法院亦於2016年3月完成裁判費用之規定，並陸續完成各級法院之選址與訴訟案件性質之分類。專利權人與專利申請人應要謹慎思考在新制度下可能帶來之各種挑戰，特別是台灣廠商需要評估在新制度下之專利策略。因此，本文將針對新制度介紹，希冀能提供欲前往申請的台灣廠商專利佈局之策略建議。 / First of all, this Article overviews current European patent system in particular with the system under European Patent Convention. This Article also summarizes the features of new system and considers the practical steps which should be taking now in preparation for the start of new regime. European Patent Convention has entered into force since 1977. Under European Patent Convention, applicant can deliver their application to EPO and once the mention of the grant is published, the patent has to be validated in each of the designated states to keep its protective effect. In a number of member states, the patent proprietors may have to file a translation of the specification and pay fees. However, the current European patent system has been the fragmentation compared to the United States, Japan and China. This has caused to a high cost of application and lawsuit and also a high level of uncertainty. In February 2013, the European Union formally signed an agreement established a single European patent and the Unified Patent Court. The court will have exclusive jurisdiction for all participating Member States. Through European unitary patent system and Unified Patent Court, this new system reduces the costs of obtaining a patent, simplifies procedures, and regulates the language issue in a user-friendlier manner than before. Therefore, unitary patent system are expected to enhance the efficiency and attractiveness. All preparation of unitary patent system is accomplished before 2015, but still need the Germany, the Untied Kingdom and two other European member states to ratify the agreement. The beginning of 2017 is now said to be the earliest that can be achieved. Owing to the new patent system, patent proprietors and applicants, especially Taiwanese enterprises should be contemplating their patent strategy for meeting the challenge created by this new patent right. Thus, the Article presents patent strategy for Taiwanese enterprises under new patent system in Europe.