Legal, IPR and social aspects of biotechnology Lectures

The current European patent system is not satisfactory. Scientists, industrialists, administrators and politicians are not happy with legislation concerning Intellectual Property Rights, IPR. The innovative science brings new dilemmas like stem cells (pluripotent and totipotent) and digitalization of literature and data bases. Simultaneously, the cost of patenting is very high (mostly due to translations) and the procedure — extremely long. The ideas of unitary European Union patent (or pan-European patent) as well as single European patent judicature will be very welcome, however, it is difficult to expect significant progress in the very near future. We urgently need in United Europe a harmonized approach in order to fulfill the expectation connected with knowledge based bioeconomy. Without modern European IPR system dedicated to innovative science the competition both between the EU and United States, as well as the EU and United States with either of the new economies (India, China) will be impossible. L6.2