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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 Supporters of the proposed legislation say German patent law, rooted in the 19th century, is out of date.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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Wall Street Journal
Germany Shuts Door on Patent Trolls
BERLIN—Germany on Friday removed a legislative quirk that had made it a prime destination for globally active patent litigators who increasingly target fast-growing tech companies.
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.
leconomiste.com
L’UE face au fléau des «chasseurs de brevets»
Some companies are worried about the spread of the patent troll phenomenon in Europe. Some have even sent a letter to Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Industry, calling for a “balanced approach to intellectual property and measures against non-practicing entities (NPE): legal person with no activity known as Patent Troll”.