Interessante Comunicazione della Commissione UE (poi: C.) circa i suoi progetti per la tutela IP: è la n. COM(2020) 760 final del 25.11.2020 titolata Making the most of the EU’s innovative potentialAn intellectual property action plan to support the EU’s recovery and resilience .
Affronta vari punti.
Circa una miglior protezione IP,. la C. così farà:
- support a rapid roll out of the unitary patent system, to create a one-stop-shop for patent protection and enforcement across the EU (2021),
- optimise the supplementary protection certificates system, to make it more transparent and efficient (Q1 2022),
- modernise the EU legislation on industrial designs, to make it more accessible and better support the transition to the digital and green economy (Q4 2021),
- strengthen the protection system for geographical indications for agricultural products to make it more effective and consider, on the basis of an impact assessment, whether to propose an EU protection system for non-agricultural geographical indications (Q4 2021),
- evaluate the plant variety legislation (Q4 2022).
Circa un maggior uso di IP, sopratuttto da parte delle piccole medie imprese:
- provide, with the EUIPO, a scheme for IP SME Vouchers to finance IPR registration and strategic IP advice (Q1 2021),
- roll out IP assistance services for SMEs in the “Horizon Europe” programme and expand it to other EU programmes (2020+). Punto particolarmetne interessante: The EUIPO will develop a platform, the European IP Information Centre, which will be linked to the Single Digital Gateway and will offer access to all relevant information not only on IP formalities but also on related services (e.g. filing for domain name protection, registration of company names), while at the same time offer easy-to-use filing systems for SMEs. The Commission will also mainstream IP support and advice through its various SME support networks56 to reach out more effectively to small businesses, p. 9.
Circa un maggior accesso a IP:
- ensure the availability of critical IP in times of crisis, including via new licensing tools and a system to co-ordinate compulsory licensing (2021-22),
- improve transparency and predictability in SEP licensing via encouraging industry-led initiatives, in the most affected sectors, combined with possible reforms, including regulatory if and where needed, aiming to clarify and improve the SEPs framework and offer effective transparency tools (Q1 2022).
- promote data access and sharing, while safeguarding legitimate interests, via clarification of certain key provisions of the Trade Secrets Directive and a review of the Database Directive (Q3 2021).
Nella lotta alle violazioni IP:
- clarify and upgrade the responsibilities of digital services, in particular online platforms, through the Digital Services Act (Q4 2020),
- strengthen the role of OLAF in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (2022),
- establish an EU Toolbox against counterfeiting setting out principles for joint action, cooperation and data sharing among right holders, intermediaries and law enforcement authorities (Q2 2022).
Importante poi è il profilo di un maggior fair play a livello internazionale, ove sono mostrati gli intenti dell aC. a livello mondiale.