Science, Innovation and Investment Minister Chris McDonald has set out a package of reforms to standard-essential patent licensing.
These patents protect technology required by technical standards used in products including smartphones, Wi-Fi equipment, connected vehicles and medical devices.
The Government will work with the judiciary on a possible court-anchored process for early decisions on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory licensing terms within existing proceedings in England and Wales.
It will also seek evidence on a voluntary Intellectual Property Office opinion service. That service could give parties an early view on whether a licence offer falls within an acceptable range.
Further measures include licensing guidelines, better pre-action information exchange, practical guidance for inexperienced businesses and a voluntary route for patent holders to provide standard-related information to the Intellectual Property Office.
Ministers decided there was not yet a clear case for an Intellectual Property Office-run essentiality-checking service. The measures therefore combine planned guidance and evidence gathering with proposals that still require further design.
