The Patent Office response to the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property (IP)

Ron Marchant, Chief Executive and Comptroller General, said:

"The Patent Office joins others in welcoming the Report and I look forward to the Patent Office playing a full role in implementing the recommendations for which it is responsible. Andrew Gowers and his team have done a comprehensive and thorough job in a very open-minded way. We congratulate them. The Report has confirmed the crucial importance of IP to the success of the UK in the global knowledge economy and we are pleased that the report sees the system as operating broadly satisfactorily. We are very pleased that the report recognises the important role played by the Patent Office and supports our own programme “Patent Office for the 21st Century”, identifying the programme as an appropriate vehicle for some of the recommendations."

In particular, the Patent Office will revise its role in the following areas:

• Advice for UK Businesses as they seek to obtain and protect their rights both domestically and in other countries
• Fast track rights processing
• Seeking to make progress on European and Community Patent proposals
• Continuing to improve patent quality
• Working with other Patent Offices, particularly the US and Japan, to make multinational patent processing simpler
• A better match between fees and the costs of the services covered by them
• Raising public awareness of the wider impact of IP crime

Of course the Report is not confined to the specific Patent Office matters identify above but puts proposals on a wide range of policy issues surrounding copyright, patents, enforcement, and the fight against IP crime. Some of these will fall to the Patent Office to deliver in consultation with Whitehall colleagues and other stakeholders and some will fall to others to deliver. These are complex issues and, as the Report makes clear, require judgements to be made on the appropriate balance between rewards for innovators and creators and the interests of society and the consumer. The Patent Office will work across Government to bring about the appropriate changes and to identify those things that can be delivered within the next 3 – 6 months.

Alistair Darling commented

"Making the most of ideas is key to winning in the global economy. As Gowers says our system is strong. But we can’t be complacent. Where we can strengthen the current regime to encourage innovation and creativity, we will."

Ron Marchant added "Thanks to the work we began with our Patent Office for the 21st Century programme we are ready to rise to the challenge. That challenge is highlighted by the proposed change of name to the UK Intellectual Property Office as this will signal to all customers and stakeholders the true range of our activities and contribution. I am delighted that the Patent Office for the 21st Century will be “The UK Intellectual Property Office”".

Editor's notes:

• Further information , including the final report, the commissioned research and responses to the Call for Evidence is available at the HM Treasury website.
• Protecting British ideas to win in the global economy will be central to the response led by Alistair Darling , Trade and Industry Secretary to the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property.