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Centad is organising a Consultation on the Draft Manual of Patent Practice and Procedure, 2008 . The Consultation will be held on June 6, 2008 .
The Manual of Patent Procedure is a handbook on patent law issued by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Trademarks and Designs. It is designed to serve as a guide to providing detailed information to the public as well as to users of the Indian patent system on the practices and procedures followed by the Indian Patent Office. While it is specifically stated by the Patent Office that the Manual of Patent Procedure does not constitute rule making and does not have the force and effect of law, the Manual is important for its use by the patent examiners who process patent applications and grant patents. The Patent Office has recently released a Draft of the Manual of Patent Procedure, 2008, which incorporates the changes in patent policy and practice subsequent to the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005 and the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2006. The Patent Office has indicated that it is open to suggestions and recommendations sought to be incorporated into the draft.
Due to the importance of the Manual to users of the patent system and persons concerned with the patent regime, and considering the reliance placed by patent examiners and controllers on the Manual, it was considered vital to examine the Draft Manual of Patent Procedure, 2008 and determine its impact on areas vital to human development, such as access to medicines, protection of traditional knowledge, bioethics and biotechnology and software freedom. It was also considered important to examine the procedures described in the Draft Manual from the perspective of assisting the patent office in patent examination and facilitating the public interest.
Accordingly, it was agreed that a consultation was required in order to bring in persons with diverse engagements and experiences with the patent regime, so that the concerns faced by these persons may be forwarded to the Patent Office for incorporation into the Draft Manual of Patent Procedure, 2008.
Venue:
Centre for Trade and Development,
A-1/304, Safdarjung Enclave,
New Delhi - 110029
Click here for Draft Agenda, Backgrounder and Draft Manual of Patent Practice and Procedure, 2008.
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