RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/Q3/IRL/1
22October 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-4622)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
REVIEW OFLEGISLATION INTHE FIELDS OFPATENTS, LAYOUT-DESIGNS
(TOPOGRAPHIES) OFINTEGRATED CIRCUITS, PROTECTION OF
UNDISCLOSED INFORMATION AND CONTROL OF
ANTI-COMPETITIVE PRACTICES IN
CONTRACTUAL LICENCES
Ireland1
Thepresent document reproduces thequestions puttothedelegation ofIreland andtheresponses
given inthereview oflegislation onpatents, layout-designs (topographies) ofintegrated circuits,
protection ofundisclosed information andcontrol ofanti-competitive practices incontractual licences
attheCouncil 'smeeting of26-30 May1997.2
_______________
I. REPLY TOTHE GENERAL QUESTION ONPRIORITY RIGHTS3
Doesyourcountry recognize aright ofpriority onthebasis ofanearlier patent application
filedinanyother WTO Member byanational ofaWTO Member?
Yes.
Pursuant toSection 25(1) oftheIrishPatents Act1992, aperson whohasdulyfiledinorfor
anystateparty totheParis Convention anapplication forapatent shallenjoy forfiling asubsequent
application under theActinrespect ofthesame invention arightofpriority.
Pursuant toSection 25(5) oftheActafiling inacountry which isnotparty totheParis
Convention maygiverisetoapriority rightiftheGovernment makes anorder tothateffect consequent
upon bilateral ormultilateral agreements. TheTRIPS Agreement isconsidered tobeamultilateral
agreement forthepurposes ofSection 25andtheGovernment hasmade anorder dated 30January 1996
(S.I.No.38of1996) byvirtue ofwhich filing anearlier patent application inaWTO Member may
giverisetoapriority rightasinthecaseofanearlier patent application inaParis Convention country.
1Asregards lawsandregulations relevant totheareas under review asnotified byIreland under Article 63.2ofthe
Agreement, reference ismade todocuments IP/N/1/IRL/1 andIP/N/1/IRL/P/1.
2Theminutes ofthemeeting have been circulated indocument IP/C/M/13.
3Atthemeeting oftheTRIPS Council of27February 1997, Members agreed torespond tothisquestion inthecontext
ofthepresent review (document IP/C/M/12, paragraph 18).IP/Q3/IRL/1
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II. REPLIES TOQUESTIONS POSED BYJAPAN
1. Inyour country, arethefollowing subject matters protectable bypatent: (1)plants and
animals, and(2)plant andanimal varieties?
Inventions relating toplants andanimals arepatentable.
Section 10(b) ofthePatents Act1992 excludes from patentability "aplant oranimal variety
oranessentially biological process fortheproduction ofplants oranimals". Thelatter exception is
subject tothequalification thatitdoesnotapply to"microbiological processes ortheproducts thereof".
2. Inyour country, istheactofoffering forsaleincluded intheexclusive rights ofpatent?
Offering forsaleisaninfringing actunder Section 40ofthePatents Act.
3. Inyour country, what kinds ofactsarerecognized asexceptions totheexclusive rights
conferred byapatent right?
Section 42ofthePatents Actprovides thattherights conferred byapatent shallnotextend
to:
(a) actsdoneprivately fornon-commercial purposes;
(b) actsdoneforexperimentalpurposesrelatingtothesubject-matteroftherelevantpatented
invention;
(c) theextemporaneous preparation forindividual cases inapharmacy ofamedicine in
accordance withamedical prescription issued byaregistered medical practitioner or
actsconcerning themedicine soprepared;
(d) theuseonboard vessels registered inanyofthecountries oftheUnion ofParis for
theProtection ofIndustrial Property, other thantheState, oftheinvention which is
thesubject ofthepatent, inthebody ofthevessel, inthemachinery, tackle, gearand
other accessories, when suchvessels temporarily oraccidentally enter theterritorial
waters oftheState, provided thattheinvention isusedinsuchwaters exclusively for
theneeds ofthevessel;
(e) theuseoftheinvention which isthesubject ofthepatent intheconstruction oroperation
ofaircraft orlandvehicles ofcountries oftheUnion ofParis fortheProtection of
Industrial Property, other thantheState, orofsuchaircraft orlandvehicle accessories
when suchaircraft orlandvehicles temporarily oraccidentally enter theState;
(f) theactsspecified inArticle 27oftheConvention onInternational CivilAviation, where
those actsconcern theaircraft ofcountries, other thantheState, benefiting from the
provisions ofthatArticle.
Further, Section 43specifies thattherights conferred byapatent shallnotextend toanyact
which, pursuant toanyobligations imposed bythelawoftheTreaties establishing theEuropean
Communities, cannot beprevented bytheproprietor ofthepatent.IP/Q3/IRL/1
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4. Inyourcountry,inwhichcaseisusewithouttheauthorizationoftherightholderpermitted,
including usebythegovernment orbythird parties authorized bythegovernment?
(a) Section 55provides aperson withwhich arighttocontinue todoactswhich hedid
orprepared todo,ingood faith, before thepriority dateofaninvention protected by
apatent andwhich would otherwise beaninfringement ofthepatent.
(b) Anorder maybemade inpursuance ofanapplication under Section 70or72forthe
grant ofcompulsory licences under apatent.
5. Inyourcountry, howistheobligation under Articles 34.1and34.2oftheTRIPS Agreement
regarding theshiftoftheburden ofproof incivilproceedings forpatent infringement related
toaprocess patent implemented?
Inrespect ofaprocess patents, thedoctrine ofreversal oftheburden ofproof isprovided in
Section 46(1) ofthePatents Actwhich reads:
"Ifthesubject-matter ofapatent orpatent application isaprocess forobtaining anew
product, thesame product when produced byaperson other thantheproprietor or
applicant, asthecasemaybe,shall, intheabsence ofsufficient evidence toraisean
issue astowhether theproduct wasobtained bythatoranother process, bedeemed
tohavebeenobtained bytheprocess which issuchsubject-matter."
III. REPLIES TOQUESTIONS POSED BYUNITED STATES
1. Subsection 9(2)oftheIrish Patents Act,1992, provides thatcomputer programs arenot
toberegarded asaninvention within themeaning ofthePatent Act. Please explain whether,
under thisprovision, inventions within thecategories specified below arenoteligible tobepatented
inIreland, notwithstanding thefactthattheinvention isnovel, involves aninventive step, and
isuseful:
(a) process inventions which, inwhole orinpart, consist ofsteps thatareperformed
byacomputer andaredirected byacomputer program;
(b) product inventions consisting ofelements ofacomputer-implemented invention,
including inparticular:
(i) machine-readable computer program code stored onatangible medium
suchasafloppy disk, computer hard drive orcomputer memory; and
(ii) ageneral purpose computer whose novelty over theprior artarises
primarily duetoitscombination withaspecific computer program.
Ifanyofthese types ofinvention areexcluded from eligibility tobepatented, please explain
howtheIrish patent lawcomplies withtheobligations ofArticle 27oftheTRIPS Agreement,
which mandates patent eligibility forallcategories ofinvention without discrimination.
Section 9(2)ofthePatents Act1992 corresponds toArticle 52(2) oftheEuropean Patent
Convention. Since Ireland 'sratification oftheEPC, theIrishPatents Office has,ingeneral, followed
thecriteria laiddown bytheEuropean Patent Office onthepatentability ofcomputer program-related
inventions.IP/Q3/IRL/1
Page4
Theexclusions frompatentability ofthesubject-matter oractivities referred toinsubsection 9(2)
aresubject tothequalification setoutinsubsection 9(3),namely thatsuchsubject-matter oractivities
areexcluded from patentability "only totheextent towhich apatent application orpatent relates to
suchsubject-matter oractivities assuch". Although computer programs assuchareexcluded from
patentability thecurrent interpretation ofSection 9(1),(2),and(3)allows patentability ofsubject-matter
which makes atechnical contribution totheknown artevenifcomputer programs areinvolved.
Asregards thetypes ofcomputer-related inventions setoutinthequestion theyarenotexcluded
from patentability under theIrishPatent Law.
2. Paragraph 13oftheFirst Schedule concerning transitional measures ofthe1992 Irish
Patents Actspecifies thatanyapplication foracompulsory licence under Article 42ofthe1964
Actthatwaspending atthecommencement ofthisAct(27February 1992) shallbedecided under
theprovisions oftheActof1964. Article 42ofthe1964Patents Actdiscriminates initsapplication
between patents covering pharmaceuticals andpatents covering inventions inother areas of
technology. Article 70.6oftheTRIPS Agreement specifies thatMembers arenotobliged toapply
therequirements ofArticle 31concerning compulsory licences orArticle 27.1 concerning
non-discrimination intheavailability orenjoyment ofpatent rights where usebyathird party
hasbeenauthorized bytheMember before thedatethisAgreement became known. With regard
tothese provisions:
(a) Please indicate whether theIrishGovernment hasgranted anycompulsory licences
onthebasis ofanapplication filedunder the1964Act,where thedecision togrant
thelicence wasmade onorafter20December 1992. Iftheanswer is"yes", please
explain howsuchanaction complies withArticle 70.6oftheTRIPS Agreement.
(b) Please indicate whether itisthepolicy oftheIrish Government todeny approval
ofanyapplication thatissubject tothistransitional provision where such
applications remained pending onorafter 20December 1992.
(c) Pleaseexplainhowparagraph13ofthetransitionalmeasure,totheextentitpermits
theissuance ofacompulsory licence ontheterms ofthe1964 Act,complies with
Articles 27and70.6oftheTRIPS Agreement.
ThePatents Act1992wasenacted on27February 1992andcameintoforceon1August 1992.
Section 5repealed thePatents Act1964 subject tothetransitional provisions oftheFirstSchedule.
Paragraph 13oftheSchedule provided thatanyapplication foralicence under Section 42ofthe1964
Actwhich waspending atthecommencement ofthe1992Act(1August 1992) should bedecided under
theprovisions ofthe1964 Act.
(a) Thepower togrant alicence under Section 42isvested intheController ofPatents,
Designs andTrade Marks andnotintheGovernment. On2June1995theController
made anorder providing forcompulsory licences inrespect oftwopatents. Heheld
thattheTRIPS Agreement hadnoapplication intheinternal legalsystem ofIreland
asithadnotbeenenacted intodomestic law. TheHigh Court onappeal toitfrom
theController heldthattheTRIPS Agreement precluded thegrant ofalicence under
Section 42byreason ofSection 46(3) ofthePatents Act1964 which provides :"No
order shallbemade inpursuance ofanyapplication under Sections 39to43ofthis
Actwhichwouldbeatvariancewithanytreaty,convention,arrangementorengagement
applying totheStateandanyconvention country". Currently anappeal totheSupreme
Court from thedecision oftheHigh Court ispending.IP/Q3/IRL/1
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(b) Unless anduntilthedecision oftheHigh Court isreversed bytheSupreme Court,
theController hasnojurisdiction togrant licences under Section 42ofthe1964Act.
(c) Itisproposed toamend paragraph 13oftheFirstSchedule making itclearthatnoorder
under Section 42ofthe1964Actshallbemade atvariance withtheTRIPS Agreement.
3. Articles 70(2)(a), (b)and(c)oftheIrish Patents Actof1992 provide fortheavailability
ofcompulsory licences insituations involving inadequate working ofaninvention within Ireland.
Ineach ofthese provisions, importation iscastasacondition thatjustifies thegrant ofan
involuntarylicence.PleaseexplainhowtheseprovisionscomplywiththerequirementofArticle27.1
oftheTRIPS Agreement, which precludes discrimination intheenjoyment ofpatent rights with
regard tolocal manufacture orimportation ofthepatented invention.
4. Article 72(1) oftheIrish Patents Actspecifies thatanyMinister oftheGovernment may,
after aspecified period, request theController ofPatents tospecify that, ononeofthegrounds
forissuance ofacompulsory licence, thepatent bedesignated ashaving alicence ofright that
permits anyinterested party torequest andobtain acompulsory licence under thepatent. Please
explain howthisprovision complies withtherequirement ofArticle 31(a) oftheTRIPS Agreement,
which specifies thatapplications forcompulsory licences aretobeconsidered ontheir individual
merits.
5. Article 75(1) oftheIrish Patents Actspecifies thatacompulsory licence granted under
theActshall "have effect asifitwere adeed". Please explain whether thisprovision enables
therecipient ofacompulsory licence toassign thecompulsory licence toathird party without
having toassign along withthelicence thatpartoftheenterprise orgoodwill which istoenjoy
thebenefits ofthelicence. Ifthisisthecase, please explain howthisprovision oftheIrishPatents
Actcomplies withArticle 31(d) oftheTRIPS Agreement.
6. Under Article 31oftheTRIPS Agreement, numerous conditions must beadhered toby
WTO Members should suchMembers provide forthepossibility ofgranting involuntary licences
under apatent. Articles 70to75oftheIrishPatents Actestablishes asystem whereby suchlicences
maybegranted. These provisions aresilent onanumber oftheelements required byArticle 31.
Inviewofthis,please explain howIrish patent lawcomplies withthefollowing requirements of
Article 31oftheTRIPS Agreement, andinparticular thatthefollowing conditions beassociated
withthegrant ofanycompulsory licence:
(a) thatthelicence begranted onlyif,prior totheauthorization, theparty seeking
thelicence hassought unsuccessfully toobtain avoluntary licence from thepatent
owner onreasonable commercial terms andconditions andwithin areasonable
period [Article 31(b)];
(b) thescope andduration ofthelicence belimited tothepurpose forwhich itwas
authorized [Article 31(c)];
(c) thatthelicence benon-exclusive [Article 31(d)];
(d) thatthelicence benon-assignable, except withthatpartoftheenterprise orgoodwill
which enjoys theuseofthepatented invention [Article 31(e)];
(e) thatthelicence authorize useofthepatented invention predominantly forthesupply
ofthedomestic market oftheMember [Article 31(f)];IP/Q3/IRL/1
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(f) thatthelicence besubject totermination iftheconditions thatledtoitsissuance
cease toexistandareunlikely torecur [Article 31(g)];
(g) thatthepatent owner bepaidadequate remuneration thatreflects, interalia,the
economic value ofthelicence [Article 31(h)]; and
(h) thatwithrespect todependent patents, theinvention claimed inthedependent
patent beanimportant technical advance ofconsiderable economic significance
overtheoriginal patented invention, thattheowner ofthedominant patent be
issued across-licence forthedependent patent, andthatthelicence ofthedependent
patent notbeassignable except withtheassignment ofthesecond patent [Article
31(l)].
7. Please explain howtheIrishlawcomplies withtheobligations ofArticle 31(c)oftheTRIPS
Agreement, which specifies thatcompulsory licences under apatent shallnotbeissued withregard
toinventions inthefieldofsemiconductor technology other thanforpublic non-commercial use
ortoremedy adjudicated findings ofanti-competitive practices bythepatent owner.
Sections 70-75 ofthePatents Actrelated togranting ofcompulsory licences. Thenecessary
legislation forthepurpose ofimplementing theprovisions oftheTRIPS Agreement iscurrently being
finalised.4
8. PleaseindicatehowmanycompulsorylicencesonayearlybasishavebeengrantedinIreland
since 1January 1993.
Seereply toquestion 2(a)above.
Nocompulsory licences havebeengranted under theprovisions ofPatents Act1992.
9. Paragraph 4ofthetransitional provisions oftheFirst Schedule tothe1992 Irish Patents
Actspecifies thatapatent owner maynotinstitute actions forinfringement against athird party
during thefinal twoyears ofthe20year patent term ifthethird party hasmade certain
preparations forputting theinvention intoeffect commercially after theexpiration ofthepatent
term. Article 70.4oftheTRIPS Agreement specifies thatWTO Members maylimit therights
given topatent owners vis-à-vis parties thathavecommenced useoforwhohavemade substantial
investments priortothedateofacceptance oftheAgreement bytheMember. Should suchalimitation
beimposed, theWTO Member must atleast provide forequitable remuneration tothepatent
owner. Noconditions concerning thedateonwhich athird party hasengaged inthequalifying
activities oronequitable remuneration canbefound inparagraph 4ofthetransitional procedures.
Please explain howIrish lawcomplies withArticle 70.4oftheTRIPS Agreement.
Consideration iscurrently being given toamending theprovisions ofparagraph 4oftheFirst
Schedule tothePatents Actsothattheycomply withtheTRIPS Agreement.
4Thisanswer applies toquestions 3through 7.IP/Q3/IRL/1
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1. Please indicate howIreland, inaccordance withArticle 39.3oftheTRIPS Agreement:
- protects testdatasubmitted toanIrish regulatory agency tosupport arequest
formarketing approval ofapharmaceutical oragricultural chemical product
against disclosure; and
- protects suchdataagainst unfair commercial use,including bypreventing later
applicants from relying directly orindirectly onthedataprovided bythefirst
applicant tosupport their applications formarketing approval.
Legislative amendments necessary tobring theIrishPatent Lawintofullconformity withthe
TRIPS Agreement arebeing drafted bytheParliamentary Draftsman 'sOffice. Itisourexpectation
thatthenecessary amending legislation willbefinalised within thenextfewmonths.