Single Market for Intellectual Property Rights

Key points:

The Committee believes that intellectual property rights must continue to promote innovation and growth. Priority must be given to enabling SMEs to protect their inventions and creations without forgetting the human dimension and the public interest.

The Committee hopes that the single European patent will now be put into effect and that the Commission's initiatives will slash transaction costs. Furthermore, the EESC:

• in the area of collecting copyright revenue for online music distribution, insists on the need for consultation of the organisations representing the rights and interests at stake and on the transparency and monitoring of management bodies;
• as regards the private copying levy, believes that this is unfair given that it is an integral part of fair use;
• as regards counterfeiting and piracy, believes that if prices are reasonable and affordable, private pirate copies will lose their appeal;
• in terms of the cases brought for infringement of rights, believes that specific procedures should be considered. Cooperation between the countries concerned should ensure that right holders are awarded damages as closely proportionate to the actual harm done as possible (general principle of proportionality).

The Committee also awaits with interest the Commission's proposals on overhauling trademark law and harmonising and revamping it in the context of the single market.
 

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat