CIPA
Although 2009 seems at first glance to have been a quiet
year for IP in the UK, there have been many significant
developments—some incremental, some leaps forward
and a few leaps backwards. Alasdair Poore explains.
Politics and patent offices
on possible green licences, expected to be put to
the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change.
Starting with politics, we are fortunate that David
During the year, CIPA and the UK Intellectual
Lammy, the minister responsible for intellectual
Property Office (UK IPO) sponsored a debate on
property and innovation, has remained in that
whether patents were inhibiting innovation in the
position. All too often, there is a revolving door,
green economy. The result was overwhelmingly in
with frequent changes of minister and frequent
favour of the value of patents in the field. CIPA has
exercises in educating new ministers in the
discussed with the UK IPO its role in developing
intricacies of intellectual property. Of course, that
government policy at the same time as being
may well change after this year’s election, where
responsible for granting patents. In practice, the
it seems likely that the current government will
UK is fortunate in having an intellectual property
lose power.
office that commands considerable respect
David Lammy is a minister with a personal
within government and that therefore permits
understanding of intellectual property. Despite
the government to present cogent arguments in
this, intellectual property has had a far from
support of the intellectual property system.
smooth ride through the political landscape.
However, the appropriate policy advice is not
Some areas, such as copyright, have received
always forthcoming. This year has been another
considerable support. Others, including sensitive
in which issues of software patentability have
areas in the patent field, have seen skirmishes
been under review. One might think that there
that may turn into full-scale political attacks.
is nothing left to say about the patentability of
The UK government was a leading proponent
computer software. Not so. The UK Intellectual
of facilitating ‘green patents’. The early results
Property Court has seen more software-related
are an expedited prosecution route for patents
patent applications, promoted in part by the
declared to be ‘green’. Anecdotally, only one
UK IPO’s consistent line on rejecting those
patent application has failed to achieve the
applications that do not satisfy a fresh four-part
requested green status—for an alleged perpetual
test, a more stringent test than that currently
motion machine.
applied by the European Patent Office (EPO). After
While support was being given for granting green
rejecting Lord Justice Jacob’s ‘recommendation’
patents, the UK IPO was advising the government
to the EPO that issues of software patentability
www.worldipreview.com World Intellectual Property Review Digest 2009 19
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