Europe - London Agreement likely to enter into force early 2008

The European Patent Office (EPO) has announced that the French government has adopted a bill authorising the ratification of the London Agreement. If the bill is passed, France will be the tenth country to ratify the Agreement, meaning that the Agreement will most likely come into force in early 2008

Signatories to the London Agreement renounce their right to demand that entire patent applications be translated into their national language. By only requiring that the claims of the patent be translated, the translation costs associated with European patents will be reduced.

Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have already ratified the Agreement. The parliaments of Denmark and Sweden have also approved the Agreement, meaning that when it comes into force 12 of the 32 member states of the EPO will be bound.

Source and further information

European Patent Office - London Agreement to enter into force in first half of 2008