Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/77992 
Year of Publication: 
2008
Series/Report no.: 
Bruegel Working Paper No. 2008/05
Publisher: 
Bruegel, Brussels
Abstract: 
This paper analyses the consequences for the European Patent System (EPS) of the recently ratified London Agreement (LA), which aims to reduce the translation requirements for patent validation procedures in 15 out of 34 national patent offices. The simulations suggest that the cost of patenting has been reduced by 20 to 30 percent since the enforcement of the LA. With an average translation cost saving of €3,600 per patent, the total savings for the business sector amount to about €220 millions. The fee elasticity of patents being about -0.4, one may expect an increase in patent filings of eight to 12 percent. Despite the translation cost savings, the relative cost of a European patent validated in six (thirteen) countries is still at least five (seven) times higher than in the United States.
Subjects: 
European patent system
London Agreement
patent fees
translation costs
fee elasticity
JEL: 
P14
P51
O34
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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