Australian advisory council releases Issues Paper on experimental use

The Australian Advisory Council on Intellectual Property has released its Issues Paper on Patents and Experimental Use.

Currently, Australia does not have an explicit experimental use exemption - the Advisory Council is examining the issues involved with the introduction of an exemption into the nation’s patent law.

Why should non-Australians review the Issues Paper? First, it presents a brief review of the current law on experimental use in several countries, including the US, Japan, the UK, and the European Union. This is a practical review of current law around the globe. Second, the Issues Paper has several discussions on topics of general interest, including the policy issues involved with experimental use, alternatives to an experimental use exemption, and the obligations of nations under various international treaties.

The Advisory Council is accepting comments on the Issues Paper until April 30, 2004.

Overall, a quick and interesting read.