Professional activities of Patent Agents

Resolution of the Executive Committee, Rome, Italy, 2-7 May 1960

“Professional activities of Patent Agents”

FICPI, the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys, broadly representative of the free profession throughout the world, assembled at its Executive Committee held in Rome, Italy, May 1960, ratified the following Resolution passed at its Rome Congress, from 2 to 7 May 1960:

Considering that freedom to get oneself up and work anywhere in a number of countries linked together by an Agreement such as the Rome Treaty setting up the European
Economic Community raises particularly delicate problems as regards the profession of Patent Agent, which is strictly regulated in some countries and not at all in others;

Considering that these problems concern not only members of this profession but also and especially the inventors and industrialists who consult the profession;

Considering that qualified representatives of the profession belonging to the six E.E.C. member countries have all signed a resolution which has been unanimously ratified by
the National Associations and which has the following conclusion: 

"Patent Agents of the six E.E.C. member countries, meeting in Paris on November 30th 1959 passed the resolution: 

That an advisory committee consisting of qualified representatives of the profession of Patent Agent should be set up within the Community for the purpose of studying methods of bringing into line the conditions of exercise of the said profession in the six Community countries, together with the study of how to bring into line regulations and legislation in respect of patents;

That application to this profession of section II and III of the Rome Treaty should be deferred until the work of the above committee is completed. This committee shall also be required to study to what extent freedom to set oneself up and work is compatible, as regards the profession under consideration, with the safeguarding of public order and the public safety of the member countries, in accordance with the prescriptions of Article 56m section 1." 

Considering that all members of the Federation are concerned in this matter;

Passed the resolution:

That the putting into operation of any international agreement providing for the freedom to set up and work anywhere within certain countries should be carried out, as regards the profession of Patent Agent, only with the greatest care;

That, in particular, the E.E.C. authorities should take into consideration the resolution quoted above;

That the importance of the part played by Patent Agents, and the legal as well as technical nature of their profession, should be borne in mind;

That the Federation should be consulted before any decision be made and that its representatives be admitted to sit on the advisory committee, the creation of which is requested by the Patent Agents of the six countries.  

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