Modern patents set-up seen as spur for innovation

Parliament yesterday unanimously approved motions for Malta to adhere to the European Convention on Patents and the Patents Cooperation Treaty.

During the debate, Opposition finance spokesman Charles Mangion said patents registration could be a tool to attract investment to Malta, but only as long as Malta also had other components in place, such as a skilled and educated workforce and a competitive investment climate.

David Agius (PN) welcomed the bi-partisan agreement on this Bill. He argued that up-to-date legislation on patents was important for Malta to promote innovation. It was estimated that by 2010 the Malta Patents Office would have some 1,000 applications for patents and it was therefore important that Malta was part of the European and worldwide patents recognition networks.

Through these motions, patents registered here would immediately be recognised across Europe. Malta would also grant reciprocal recognition.

Mr Agius said these motions should be seen as being encouragement for Maltese to be innovative, to come forward with their innovations and to register them, in the knowledge that they would not be copied.

Dr Mangion pointed to the growth of the Malta shipping register after legislation was updated and said the government should take the cue to encourage international patent registrations in Malta.

Patent registration was very wide-ranging and the government should encourage research by Maltese individuals and institutions as well as foreign companies based here.

However the encouragement of entrepreneurship, research and innovation had to be made within a holistic policy which included an education system that was conducive to research, and better worker training.

There was also an urgent need for a revamp of the Business Promotion Act so that Malta would have a more competitive environment for investment. Inaction in this area was creating uncertainty especially among foreign firms in Malta.

Modern patent registration should also be an instrument used to attract foreign investment.

Competitiveness Minister Censu Galea welcomed the unanimity evidenced in this debate. He said the opposition's calls for greater government emphasis on the sciences and innovation was in stark contrast to the cold shoulder given to these two sectors by previous Labour governments.

The government had long showed its commitment to better worker training, innovation and research.

The most recent example of the governemnt's emphasis on research and innovation were the study bursaries awarded by the government to scholars conducting research in areas which were relevant for Malta's economy. In the education system a system of positive discrimination for those who studied science and technology subjects had been introduced.

The government wanted Malta's membership of the European Convention on Patents and the Patents Cooperation Treaty to spur research and innovation in Malta and help attract investment.

Out of the 583 patents registered up to the end of September, 539 involved pharmaceuticals. This showed that the sector had confidence in the Maltese patents registration system.

The motions were later approved.