Former USPTO Director and C4IP Co-Chair David Kappos published an opinion piece this week in the Brussels Times advocating against the European Parliament’s proposal to micromanage standard-essential patent (SEP) licensing, which would represent a massive blow to European tech innovators if adopted.
Kappos explains how the European Parliament’s proposal, which would task bureaucrats with managing licensing fees for SEPs, would upend the efficient, established system under which companies themselves determine fair licenses. He argues that this top-down approach would favor large firms while disempowering smaller companies. Moreover, it would validate China’s efforts to unilaterally set SEP licensing rates, which threaten innovation across the entire world.
With these potential consequences looming, Kappos urges European lawmakers to reject the proposal when they vote on it later this month.
“Approving the proposal – which is designed to solve a problem that the European Commission’s own study admitted does not exist – would harm European companies without any offsetting benefits for consumers. Parliamentarians would be wise to reject it – before the damage is irreversible.”
Read the full op-ed here: https://www.brusselstimes.com/opinion/934021/the-european-parliament-could-destroy-the-continents-tech-sectorv