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cooperation</a></p></div></li> <li class="flyout-control"> <a class="m-hide" href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/reference/en/">Knowledge</a> <a class="t-hide d-hide" href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/reference/en/">Knowledge</a><div class="flyout"><div class="nav-group nav-group--three"><div class="nav nav--one"> <h3 class="flyout__header">IP Databases</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patentscope/en/">PATENTSCOPE</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/reference/en/branddb/">Global Brand Database</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/madrid/monitor/en/">Madrid Monitor</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/reference/en/designdb/">Global Design Database</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/hague/en/design_search/">Hague Express</a></li><li><a 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nav--one"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Intellectual Property</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/">Copyright</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/">Patents</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/trademarks/en/">Trademarks</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/designs/en/">Industrial Designs</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/geo_indications/en/">Geographical Indications</a></li> </ul></div><div class="nav nav--two"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Training</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li> <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/academy/en/">WIPO Academy</a></li><li> <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic_type.jsp?group_id=242">Workshops & Seminars</a></li> </ul> <h3 class="flyout__header">IP and ...</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/artificial_intelligence/">Artificial Intelligence</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/universities_research/">Universities</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/women-and-ip/en/">Gender Equality</a></li> </ul> </div><div class="nav nav--three"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Raising Awareness</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/ipday/">World IP Day</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/awards/">WIPO Awards</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/tools/">Outreach Campaigns</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/">WIPO Magazine</a></li> </ul></div></div> <p class="flyout__span d-hide"> <a class="btn btn-info" href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/">All about IP</a></p></div></li><li 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<button class="btn ss-search" title="Search"></button> </form></div> </nav><div class="container"> <div class="wrap-outer"> <div class="wrap-inner"> <ul class="nav-breadcrumb"><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/portal/en/">Home</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/">Policy</a></li> <li class="active"><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/scp/">SCP</a></li> </ul><h1>Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP)</h1> <div class="content"> <div class="main"> <p class="lead">The SCP was created in 1998 to serve as a forum to discuss issues, facilitate coordination and provide guidance concerning the progressive international development of <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/">patent</a> law. By dealing with clusters of interlocking issues rather than working in isolation on single issues, it is intended to provide <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/members/en/" target="_self">member states</a> with an effective mechanism for setting priorities and allocating resources, and ensure the coordination and continuity of interrelated, on-going work.</p> <p>The Committee is composed of all member states of WIPO and/or of the Paris Union. As observers, certain member states of the UN, who are not members of WIPO and/or the Paris Union, as well as a number of accredited intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations also participate in the SCP.</p> </div> <div class="complementary"> <figure><img src="/web/20180710173055im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/f_wipo_8515833430_600.jpg" alt="Delegates in discussion at the SCP"/> <figcaption>Delegates in discussion at the SCP (Photo: WIPO). More SCP photos on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.flickr.com/photos/wipo/tags/scp/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>. </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="content line"> <div class="main"> <h2 class="header">Meetings and documents <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic.jsp?group_id=61"><button class="btn btn-info">Archive</button></a></h2> <div id="wipo-topics" class="listings listings--archive" data-xml="/meetings/en/includes/topic.xml?group_id=61" data-number="2"></div> <div class="box"> <p><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/policy/en/rules_of_procedure.html">General Rules of Procedure of WIPO</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/general/399/wipo_pub_399.pdf"> <img src="/web/20180710173055im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.svg" alt="PDF, General Rules of Procedure of WIPO"/> </a></p> </div> </div> <div class="complementary"> <div class="box"> <p class="featured">Featured</p> <a id="wipoLnk1" href="#wipoModal1" data-toggle="modal"><img class="media-object" src="/web/20180710173055im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/posters/scp_27_summary_640_player.jpg" alt=""/></a> <div id="wipoModal1" class="modal hide fade" style="display: none;" tabindex="0"> <div class="modal-body"><video width="auto" height="auto" id="wipoVideo1" tabindex="1" poster="/web/20180710173055im_/http://www.wipo.int/shared/pics/posters/scp_27_summary_640.jpg" preload="none" controls="controls"><source type="video/ogg" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055im_/http://www.wipo.int/multimedia-video/en/meetings/scp/scp_27_summary.ogg"/> <source type="video/webm" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055im_/http://www.wipo.int/multimedia-video/en/meetings/scp/scp_27_summary.webm"/> <source type="video/mp4" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055im_/http://www.wipo.int/multimedia-video/en/meetings/scp/scp_27_summary.mp4"/></video></div> <div class="modal-footer"><button id="wipoBtn1" class="btn" data-dismiss="modal">Close</button></div> </div> <p class="secondary">Summary of latest session of the SCP. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsm_LOEppJazZs16JxJjXlyxt7xFOuXhe" target="_blank=">Previous summaries on YouTube</a>.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="content line"> <div class="main"> <h2><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/scp/en/" target="_self">Electronic Forum</a></h2> <p>The Electronic Forum was established in 1998 in order to accelerate the deliberations and discussions of the SCP. It enables the electronic distribution, and submission by e-mail of comments concerning, preliminary draft working documents and draft reports.  The Electronic Forum is open to all States members of the SCP and all interested States, international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations which have observer status in the SCP.</p> </div> <div class="content cols cols--two line"> <div class="col col--one"> <h2>Current issues in the SCP</h2> <p>Since the <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=22164" target="_self">sixteenth session</a> in 2011, the SCP has been discussing the following five substantive topics:</p> <ul class="dot__list"> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/exceptions_limitations.html" target="_self">Exceptions and limitations to patent rights</a>;</li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/technology_transfer.html" target="_self">Technology transfer</a>;</li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/quality_patents.html" target="_self">Quality of patents</a>, including <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/opposition_systems.html" target="_self">opposition systems</a>;</li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/confidentiality.html" target="_self">Confidentiality of communications between patent advisors and their clients</a>;</li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/public_health.html" target="_self">Patents and health</a>.</li> </ul> </div> <div class="col col--two"> <h2>Patent-related treaties administered by WIPO</h2> <ul class="dot__list"> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/registration/pct/" target="_self">Patent Cooperation Treaty</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/paris/">Paris Convention</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/plt/">Patent Law Treaty</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/registration/budapest">Budapest Treaty </a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/classification/strasbourg/" target="_self">Strasbourg Agreement</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="content cols cols--two line"> <h2>Background</h2> <h3>History</h3> <div class="col col--one"> <h4>1998-2000</h4> <p>Following the discussions within the Committee of Experts on the <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/plt/" target="_self">Patent Law Treaty</a>, which had started in 1995, the SCP negotiated the draft Patent Law Treaty (PLT) and its regulations on patent formalities and procedures. The PLT was adopted by the <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=4057" target="_self">Diplomatic Conference for the Adoption of the Patent Law Treaty</a> on June 1, 2000.</p> <p><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patent-law/en/plt.htm" target="_self">Find out more about the PLT</a>.</p> </div> <div class="col col--two"> <h4>2001-2006</h4> <p>Discussions on the draft <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patent-law/en/draft_splt.htm" target="_self">Substantive Patent Law Treaty</a> (SPLT) started at the fifth session of the SCP in May 2001. While discussions on the draft SPLT led to some agreement in principle among delegations on a number of issues, other topics have generated more difficulties in terms of reaching agreement. As a result, the SPLT negotiations were put on hold in 2006.</p> </div> </div> <div class="content cols cols--three line"> <h2>Recent developments</h2> <p>Since the negotiations on the draft Substantive Patent Law Treaty (SPLT) were put on hold in 2006, the main focus of the work of the SCP has been on building a technical and legal resource base from which to hold informed discussions in order to develop a work program. Therefore, a series of documents elaborating various aspects of patent law were produced and discussed at the subsequent sessions of the SCP.</p> <div class="col col--one"> <p>At the <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=15486" target="_self">twelfth session</a> in 2008, the Report on the International Patent System <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/scp/en/scp_12/scp_12_3_rev.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180710173055im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, Report on the International Patent System 2008" border="0"/></a>, focusing on the economic rationale, legal and organizational aspects as well as policy considerations and development concerns of the patents system, was discussed for the first time and a non-exhaustive list of issues <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/edocs/mdocs/scp/en/scp_12/scp_12_4_rev.pdf" target="_self"><img src="/web/20180710173055im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/images/icon/new/pdf.gif" alt="PDF, SCP: non-exhaustive list of issues" border="0"/></a> was identified by the Committee for further elaboration and discussion at its future sessions. At its <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=17448" target="_self">thirteenth session</a>, the SCP discussed preliminary studies on the following issues:</p> <ul class="dot__list"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=116832">dissemination of patent information</a>;</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=116712">exclusions from patentable subject matter and exceptions and limitations to the rights</a>;</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=116812">standards and patents</a>;</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=117212">client-attorney privilege</a>.</li> </ul> </div> <div class="col col--two"> <p>At its <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=17461" target="_self">fourteenth session</a> in 2009, the SCP discussed preliminary studies on the following issues:</p> <ul class="dot__list"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=130627">technical solutions to improve greater access to, and dissemination of, patent information</a>;</li> <li>the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=130182">client-patent advisor privilege</a>;</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=130407">transfer of technology</a>;</li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=130408">opposition systems</a>.</li> </ul> </div> <div class="col col--three"> <p>At its <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/details.jsp?meeting_id=17461" target="_self">fifteenth session</a> in 2010, in addition to the above preliminary studies, a <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=141352" target="_self">study prepared by external experts on exclusions from patentable subject matter and exceptions and limitations to the rights</a> was presented. The SCP agreed that the agenda of its sixteenth session would include five issues that have been under discussion since then, namely:</p> <ul class="dot__list"> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/exceptions_limitations.html">exceptions and limitations to patent rights</a>;</li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/quality_patents.html">quality of patents</a>, including <a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/opposition_systems.html">opposition systems</a>;</li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/public_health.html">patents and health</a>;</li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/confidentiality.html">confidentiality of communications between clients and their patent advisors</a>;</li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/topics/technology_transfer.html">transfer of technology</a>.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="content cols cols--three line"> <h2><a name="links"></a>Related links</h2> <div class="col col--one"> <h3>Information resources on patents</h3> <ul class="dividers"> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/">Overview</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/">Laws and treaties</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/ipadvantage/en/">Case studies</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic.jsp?group_id=11">Documents and meetings</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/freepublications/en/">Publications</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/">Statistics</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/classifications/ipc/en/">Patent classification: IPC</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180710173055/http://www.wipo.int/standards/en/">WIPO standards</a></li> <li><a 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