[Patents] A Framework For Global Electronic Commerce

[jgk.novatek jgk.novatek@estelfree.net]

  THIS IS INTERESTING  /
A Framework For Global Electronic Commerce
President William J. Clinton
Vice President Albert Gore, Jr.
Washington, D.C.
The Global Information Infrastructure (GII), still in the early stages of its 
development, is already transforming our world. Over the next decade, 
advances on the GII will affect almost every aspect of daily life -- 
education, health care, work and leisure activities. 



Patents 

Development of the GII will both depend upon and stimulate innovation in many 
fields of technology, including computer software, computer hardware, and 
telecommunications. An effectively functioning patent system that encourages 
and protects patentable innovations in these fields is important for the 
overall success of commerce over the Internet. Consistent with this 
objective, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) will (1) significantly 
enhance its collaboration with the private sector to assemble a larger, more 
complete collection of prior art (both patent and non-patent publications), 
and provide its patent examiners better access to prior art in GII-related 
technologies; (2) train its patent examiners in GII-related technologies to 
raise and maintain their level of technical expertise; and (3) support 
legislative proposals for early publication of pending patent applications, 
particularly in areas involving fast moving technology. 

To create a reliable environment for electronic commerce, patent agreements 
should: 

·        prohibit member countries from authorizing parties to exploit 
patented inventions related to the GII without the patent owner's authority 
(i.e., disapproval of compulsory licensing of GII- related technology except 
to remedy a practice determined after judicial or administrative process to 
be anti-competitive); 

·        require member countries to provide adequate and effective 
protection for patentable subject matter important to the development and 
success of the GII; and 

·        establish international standards for determining the validity of a 
patent claim. 

The United States will pursue these objectives internationally. Officials of 
the European, Japanese, and United States Patent Offices meet, for example, 
each year to foster cooperation on patent-related issues. The United States 
will recommend at the next meeting that a special committee be established 
within the next year to make recommendations on GII-related patent issues . 

In a separate venue, one hundred countries and international 
intergovernmental organizations participate as members of WIPO's permanent 
committee on industrial property information (PCIPI). The United States will 
attempt to establish a working group of this organization to address 
GII-related patent issues.

  THIS IS INTERESTING  /

A Framework For Global Electronic Commerce

President William J. Clinton
Vice President Albert Gore, Jr.
Washington, D.C.

The Global Information Infrastructure (GII), still in the early stages of its development, is already transforming our world. Over the next decade, advances on the GII will affect almost every aspect of daily life -- education, health care, work and leisure activities.

 

Patents

Development of the GII will both depend upon and stimulate innovation in many fields of technology, including computer software, computer hardware, and telecommunications. An effectively functioning patent system that encourages and protects patentable innovations in these fields is important for the overall success of commerce over the Internet. Consistent with this objective, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) will (1) significantly enhance its collaboration with the private sector to assemble a larger, more complete collection of prior art (both patent and non-patent publications), and provide its patent examiners better access to prior art in GII-related technologies; (2) train its patent examiners in GII-related technologies to raise and maintain their level of technical expertise; and (3) support legislative proposals for early publication of pending patent applications, particularly in areas involving fast moving technology.

To create a reliable environment for electronic commerce, patent agreements should:

·        prohibit member countries from authorizing parties to exploit patented inventions related to the GII without the patent owner's authority (i.e., disapproval of compulsory licensing of GII- related technology except to remedy a practice determined after judicial or administrative process to be anti-competitive);

·        require member countries to provide adequate and effective protection for patentable subject matter important to the development and success of the GII; and

·        establish international standards for determining the validity of a patent claim.

The United States will pursue these objectives internationally. Officials of the European, Japanese, and United States Patent Offices meet, for example, each year to foster cooperation on patent-related issues. The United States will recommend at the next meeting that a special committee be established within the next year to make recommendations on GII-related patent issues .

In a separate venue, one hundred countries and international intergovernmental organizations participate as members of WIPO's permanent committee on industrial property information (PCIPI). The United States will attempt to establish a working group of this organization to address GII-related patent issues.