Tegernsee Experts Group Survey
At a meeting convened in Tegernsee, Germany in July 2011, leaders and representatives from the patent offices of Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States and from the European Patent Office (the “Tegernsee Group”) launched a new dialogue on the state of affairs concerning international patent law harmonization. Since the initial meeting, the Group has met twice to consider work done by patent experts from each office analyzing comparative aspects of each jurisdiction’s patent law and practice, as well as detailed studies on four issues of particular interest for international harmonization: the grace period, publication of applications, treatment of conflicting applications, and prior user rights. Copies of the studies and further information may be found at http://www.uspto.gov/ip/global/aia_harmonization.jsp or http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2012/20121108a.html.
At its most recent meeting in October 2012, leaders of the Tegernsee Group requested that their patent law experts collaborate in developing a joint questionnaire covering the four above-mentioned topics, for use in gathering stakeholder input on a range of related issues. Results from the questionnaire as well as any additional stakeholder input received will be considered by the Group in determining how to advance the discussions.
