Industrial property: Community patent

The Council held a debate on the proposal for a Regulation on the Community Patent, including the relationship between this proposal and the European Patent Convention (EPC), and on the appropriateness of taking steps in order to keep the door open for possible Community accession to the EPC. Several delegations stressed the need to examine thoroughly all aspects of the proposal, giving due consideration to all options, before taking any decision in this respect. The Council will revert to this issue, considered to be a high priority by the Swedish Presidency, at its next meeting on 5 June 2001.�