Summary: A 2002 cable shows resistance (even back then) to the idea of 'globalising' monopolies on ideas

According to the following Cablegate cable from almost a decade ago, the government of Italy "DOES NOT/NOT SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A SEPARATE GROUP TO PURSUE PATENT HARMONIZATION DISCUSSIONS." (see ۦ3)

As we explained here before, Italy is one of the reasons -- the other being Spain -- that the EU Patent is not being implemented to allow import of US patent monopolies, in due course (including, potentially, software patents).

Keep strong, Italy.

UNCLAS ROME 004495 




SIPDIS 




SENSITIVE 




STATE FOR EUR/SE AND EB/IPC 
STATE PASS USTR FOR BURCKY 
STATE PASS USPTO FOR HUTHER, PAUGH, SANTAMAURO, BOLAND 




E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIPR [Intellectual Property Rights], ECON [Economic Conditions], ETRD [Foreign Trade], EUN [European Union] 
SUBJECT: ITALIAN RESPONSE TO DEMARCHE ON SUBSTANTIVE PATENT 
LAW TREATY 




REF: A. ROME 3961 




     B. STATE 149859 




THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE.  NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 




ۦ1. (U) ECONOFF MET ON 12 SEPTEMBER WITH COUNSELOR GIULIO 
PRIGIONI, THE NEWLY-APPOINTED ITALIAN REPRESENTATIVE TO WIPO 
(REF.A) TO DISCUSS REF POINTS (REF. B). 




ۦ2. (SBU) THE GOI AGREES WITH THE USG POSITION THAT THE 
STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE LAW OF PATENTS SHOULD REMAIN 
FOCUSED AND PRODUCTIVE, PRIGIONI ASSURED.  HOWEVER, THE GOI 
IS NOT YET PREPARED TO GO PUBLIC THIS VIEW SINCE DISCUSSIONS 
ARE STILL IN THEIR EARLY PHASE AND A JURIDICAL BASIS FOR AN 
AGREEMENT HAS YET TO BE IDENTIFIED. 




ۦ3. (U) THE GOI, MOREOVER, DOES NOT/NOT SUPPORT THE CREATION 
OF A SEPARATE GROUP TO PURSUE PATENT HARMONIZATION 
DISCUSSIONS. PRIGIONI NOTED THAT, IN THE GOI VIEW, THE 
CREATION OF A SEPARATE GROUP WOULD CREATE THE IMPRESSION OF A 
DEAL BEING STRUCK BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, POTENTIALLY 
UNDERMINING THE LEGITIMACY OF AN AGREEMENT.  HE PROPOSED 
INSTEAD THAT BILATERAL EXCHANGES BE USED TO SUPPLEMENT 
STANDING COMMITTEE DISCUSSIONS. 
SEMBLER 




                       UNCLASSIFIED 




2002ROME04495 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

We are going to cover some more cables on this important subject of legislative relevance (keeping software patents out of Europe). ⬆