Industrial property: Community patent

The European Parliament voted 256 to 187 with 95 abstentions in favour of a resolution approving the Commission's proposal for a regulation to create a Community patent, together with a number of non-binding amendments. Ahead of the Council meeting in May, which is expected to reach the unanimous agreement required to adopt the draft regulation, the amendments express Ana Isabel PALACIO DEL VALLE LERSUNDI's (EPP-ED, E) views on a series of issues which are essential for the adoption and proper functioning of this regulation. The key points are the language arrangements, the role of national patent offices vis-Ó-vis the European Patent Office (an existing non-EU body to which the Community would accede in its own right) and the judicial system. (Please refer to the summary dated 19/02/02).�