STATEMENT BY JONATHAN ZUCK, PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR COMPETITIVE TECHNOLOGY
Today, the European Commission revealed its vision for improving the patent system in Europe, including a proposal for a unified EU patent judiciary. Jonathan Zuck, President of the Association for Competitive Technology, said: “Today’s Communication is a long awaited step in the right direction. We applaud the Commission for re-opening the debate on patent protection in Europe. Innovative SMEs in Europe have suffered significantly from the lack of legal certainty and the high costs associated with the current patent litigation system in Europe.”
Zuck added: “Innovative entrepreneurs are the main drivers of growth and job creation in the EU. Without effective protection of their intellectual property, Europe will continue to struggle to innovate and grow. For a long time, vested interests and national pride have impeded progress on the reform of the European patent system, putting economic growth in jeopardy. European politicians have continued to treat growth and job creation for Europe as though it’s a mystery, when in reality it has simply never been the top priority. We therefore urge the Member States and the European Parliament to work together with the Commission in order to deliver the much-needed improvements for SMEs.”
The Association for Competitive Technology (ACT) is an international education and advocacy group for the technology industry. Focusing on the interests of small and mid-size entrepreneurial technology companies, ACT advocates for a “Healthy Tech Environment” that promotes innovation, competition and investment. ACT has been active on issues such as intellectual property, international trade, e-commerce, privacy, internet policy and antitrust. ACT represents more than 3000 software developers, systems integrators, IT consulting and training firms, and e-businesses from around the world.