Today's market is quickly becoming a global market. It is more important than ever for U.S. inventors to remain competitive with foreign nations.
Intellectual property is one way to enhance growth and competitiveness worldwide.
Establishment of a standardized and harmonious worldwide patent granting system is a needed component of intellectual property protection. Because patent subject matter, and the rules and requirements for granting patents are currently different for various countries, inventors have difficulty obtaining patents in other countries. In most countries patent applicants must have their patent applications translated from their native languages to foreign languages, and filed and prosecuted separately in each country. Inventors must provide multiple translations, pay multiple filing and handling fees, understand differences in the types of claims that can be filed in each country, and contend with lack of international intellectual property enforcement. In order to protect products and to be competitive, we must strive toward achieving a worldwide harmonious intellectual property system, especially with respect to patent grants.