Canada to accelerate green technology patent process
Friday, July 30th, 2010The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has proposed changes to federal patent law that would help speed up the patenting process for “green” technologies. “No additional fee would be required to take advantage of the accelerated examination process,” according to law firm Ogilvy Renault in a blog post. “Applicants would only be required to declare that their application relates to technology that, if commercialized, could help resolve or mitigate environmental impacts or conserve the natural environment and resources.” If approved Canada would join the U.S., which last December began a pilot program for such accelerated examinations. “This accelerated examination mechanism will lead to earlier patenting, thereby crystallizing intrinsic value earlier,” wrote the firm. ”This means financing may be easier to obtain at an earlier stage. As well, patent enforcement steps can be taken sooner to stop competitors who exploit the research and development efforts of others from enjoying first-mover advantages.”
A good idea.
Tyler Hamilton is editor-in-chief of Corporate Knights magazine and a business columnist for the Toronto Star, Canada's largest daily newspaper. In addition to this Clean Break blog, Tyler writes a weekly column of the same name that discusses trends, happenings and innovators in the clean technology and green energy market. This blog is a personal project started in April 2005. It is not an official blog of the newspaper.
