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The Wall Street Journal
A Push to End Germany’s Status as ‘Paradise for Patent Trolls’

A coalition of German blue-chip firms and foreign multinationals, including big U.S. tech firms, is advocating for legislation that would lessen the country’s appeal for those seeking to assert their intellectual property. Supporters of the proposed legislation say German patent law, rooted in the 19th century, is out of date. When Carl Benz received the patent for his car in 1886, “it was one patent for one product,” said Ludwig von Reiche, managing director for Nvidia in Germany and chair of the German Working Group of IP2Innovate.
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mlexmarketinsight.com
Brussels – EU common patent gets boost from bloc’s industry boss after decades of delays.
IP lobby group IP2Innovate, which includes Daimler, BMW and Intel, said it shares Breton’s view that the patent system needs to be adapted to the digital age and needs a single EU patent.
Industriekoalition IP2Innovate fordert Patentrechtsreform zur Förderung von Innovation in Deutschland
Das Patentrecht ist ein wesentlicher Eckpfeiler für Innovation und – damit verbunden – für nachhaltiges Wirtschaftswachstum. Es kann dieser Rolle allerdings nur gerecht werden, wenn es die Entwicklung und das Inverkehrbringen komplexer, multifunktionaler Hightech-Produkte wie Autos, Telefone und medizinische Geräte unterstützt. Dies tut das deutsche Patentrecht derzeit nicht! Hauptmangel: Unterlassungsklagen werden automatisch erlassen, ohne alternative, geeignetere Rechtsmittel zu prüfen. Diese Situation schadet der deutschen Industrie.
Patrick Oliver
Statement in response to publication of the European Commission’s IP Action Plan
IP2Innovate welcomes the European Commission’s efforts to improve the IP landscape in Europe, in particular the emphasis on ensuring that the proportionality requirement in the granting of injunctions is met. However, the IP Action Plan outlined today needs to go further to address continuing abuses of the patent system.