BRUSSELS – Today, the European Parliament’s JURI Committee voted to challenge the European Commission’s withdrawal of the proposed Standard Essential Patents (SEP) Regulation in court.
ACT | The App Association strongly supports this decision, which is a vital step to protect Europe’s small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) innovators and consumers.
Mike Sax, founder and chairperson of ACT | The App Association, an international trade association for app developers, entrepreneurs, and tech SMEs, released the following statement:
‘Europe’s SMEs cannot be left exposed to an opaque and abusive SEP licensing environment. The Commission’s withdrawal of the SEP Regulation left thousands of innovators without the clarity and protection they need, countermanding a previously established overwhelming evidence base supporting Commission’s proposed action to protect SMEs and spur innovation.
‘The JURI Committee’s vote today to take the Commission to court is more than a legal step; it is a signal that European policymakers are committed to fairness, predictability, and supporting the small companies that drive digital innovation across the internet of things.
‘The App Association stands ready to engage with the Parliament, the Commission, and all stakeholders to ensure that any outcome strengthens a balanced SEP framework that empowers SMEs to grow and create jobs’.
###