Latest news with #SEPs
Euronews
23-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Séjourné canvasses governments on patents after dropped proposal
EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné has asked member states to agree among themselves on whether to support the Commission's intention to ditch a proposal on standard essential patents (SEP). The French commissioner for the internal market has said he wants to hear back from governments in the next three weeks. Member states are divided about the way forward after the Commission said in February it intended to withdraw a plan on SEPs which it presented in 2023, arguing that it couldn't see an agreement being reached. SEPs are patents that protect the technology deemed essential in a technical standard or specification and are used in the automotive, smart energy, and payment industry. Which means that if a company wants to make a product that complies with technical standards (such as 5G or wifi), it needs to use the technology covered by SEPs. Disputes over the value of SEPs licenses are proliferating as their use increases. The Commission proposal intended to make the process of licensing SEPs more transparent, which was welcomed by patent lobby organisations who called for modernisation of the rules to make the bloc more competitive. A group of eight countries – Czechia, France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain – called for other EU member states to support continued work on the file during a meeting of industry ministers in Brussels on Thursday, arguing that the rules are crucial for industry. The Spanish representative said that SEPs will be beneficial for Europe's automotive industry. Italy added that: 'We need to ensure the value chains are resilient in the current geopolitical situation.' Ireland, Finland and Sweden, by contrast, backed the Commission's assessment that since no deal is within reach it should be dropped. The Swedish representative said that the proposal had created 'major divisions in the business community', adding that 'any initiative in this field needs to encourage innovation and not create undue regulatory burden.' Finland added that the decision to withdraw is in line with the Commission's simplification plan. 'We think there are fundamental problems in the proposal, they cannot be amended with this draft.' Séjourné told lawmakers of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs (JURI) in April that the Commission scrapped the SEP proposal in a bid to reach a broader agreement on the topic. Some argue however, that the incoming US administration and the EU Commission's current strategy for deregulation killed the proposal. While the majority of the member states do not see the need to continue with the topic, lawmakers want it kept on the table. The proposed rules on SEPs were agreed by the Parliament in February 2024 - with 454 votes for, 83 against and 78 abstentions - before the Commission announced its intention to withdraw the file. German MEP Bernd Lange (EPP), who chairs the heads of the Parliamentary committees, is expected to discuss the issue with Parliament President Roberta Metsola in June. A letter signed by Lange and seen by Euronews, said that the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) – which is leading on the file – 'objects, by a large majority, to the proposed withdrawal.' 'The proposal remains highly relevant due to its impact on competitiveness, transparency, and innovation, particularly for SMEs,' the letter said. The Commission has until August to decide whether to go ahead with its intention to withdraw the plan. A US federal judge decided to let a wrongful death lawsuit continue against artificial intelligence (AI) company after the suicide of a teenage boy. The suit was filed by a mother from Florida who alleges that her 14-year-old son Sewell Setzer III fell victim to one of the company's chatbots that pulled him into what she described as an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship that led to his suicide. The lawsuit alleges that in the final months of his life, Setzer became increasingly isolated from reality as he engaged in sexualised conversations with the bot, which was patterned after a fictional character from the television show 'Game of Thrones'. In his final moments, the bot told Setzer it loved him and urged the teen to "come home to me as soon as possible," according to screenshots of the exchanges. Moments after receiving the message, Setzer shot himself, according to legal filings. Meetali Jain of the Tech Justice Law Project, one of the attorneys for Garcia, said the judge's order sends a message that Silicon Valley "needs to stop and think and impose guardrails before it launches products to market". The company tried to argue that it was protected under the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which protects fundamental freedoms for Americans, like freedom of speech. Attorneys for the developers want the case dismissed because they say chatbots deserve these First Amendment protections, and ruling otherwise could have a "chilling effect" on the AI industry. In her order Wednesday, US Senior District Judge Anne Conway rejected some of the defendants' free speech claims, saying she's "not prepared" to hold that the chatbots' output constitutes speech "at this stage". In a statement, a spokesperson for pointed to a number of safety features the company has implemented, including guardrails for children and suicide prevention resources that were announced the day the lawsuit was filed. "We care deeply about the safety of our users and our goal is to provide a space that is engaging and safe," the statement said. The suit against Character Technologies, the company behind also names individual developers and Google as defendants. Google spokesperson José Castañeda told the Associated Press that the company "strongly disagree[s]" with Judge Conway's decision. "Google and Character AI are entirely separate, and Google did not create, design, or manage Character AI's app or any component part of it," the statement read. The case has drawn the attention of legal experts and AI watchers in the U.S. and beyond, as the technology rapidly reshapes workplaces, marketplaces and relationships despite what experts warn are potentially existential risks. "The order certainly sets it up as a potential test case for some broader issues involving AI," said "It's a warning to parents that social media and generative AI devices are not always harmless," Lyrissa Barnett Lidsky, a law professor at the University of Florida with a focus on the First Amendment and AI. No matter how the lawsuit plays out, Lidsky says the case is a warning of "the dangers of entrusting our emotional and mental health to AI companies". "It's a warning to parents that social media and generative AI devices are not always harmless," she said.
Euronews
23-04-2025
- Business
- Euronews
EU Commission withdrew patent file to push for agreement, says industry chief
ADVERTISEMENT The European Commission withdrew a proposal on Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) in a bid to reach a broader agreement on the topic, EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné told lawmakers of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs (JURI) committee on Wednesday. 'The overall aim is to have an agreement and to push the Council to adopt a position on the text," he said adding that withdrawing the paper may have been "radical" but was done "to try to move things [along]'. The rules on SEPs were agreed by the Parliament in February 2024 - with 454 votes for, 83 against and 78 abstentions - before the Commission signalled this year it intended to withdraw the proposal, surprising many. In April 2023, the Commission published its plan for a regulation on SEPs, which are patents that protect the technology deemed essential in a technical standard or specification, used in the automotive, smart energy, and payment industry. The rules were aimed at improving transparency and predictability in SEP licensing, to ensure fairness and efficiency in the licensing process, limiting costs that can arise from disputes, and to incentivise patent holders to create products based on the latest standardised technologies that will benefit businesses and consumers. Several politicians including rapporteur Marion Walsmann (Germany/EPP) wrote to the Commission on the withdrawal ahead of the discussion with the Commissioner. The EU executive has until August to formally decide whether to scrap the file. The decision fits into the broader simplification agenda of this Von der Leyen Commission which said it wants to reduce the burden on companies and cut red tape.
Euronews
03-04-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Lawmakers seek clarity on patents withdrawal from EU Industry Commissioner
ADVERTISEMENT Lawmakers of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs committee have demanded clarity from the European Commission on its intention to withdraw a proposal on Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) ahead of a hearing with the EU commissioner in charge, Stéphane Séjourné, on 23 April. Several politicians including rapporteur Marion Walsmann (Germany/EPP), the chair of the Legal Affairs Committee, Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Bulgaria/Renew), and MEP Tiemo Wölken (Germany/S&D) have written to the Commission on the withdrawal. The withdrawal came as a surprise to many. In April 2023, the Commission published its plan for a regulation on SEPs, which are patents that protect the technology deemed essential in a technical standard or specification, used in the automotive, smart energy, and payment industry. The rules were aimed at improving transparency and predictability in SEP licensing, to ensure fairness and efficiency in the licensing process, limit costs that can arise from disputes, and to incentivise patent holders to create products based on the latest standardised technologies that will benefit businesses and consumers. The current SEPs market is fragmented, with no organisation in charge of informing firms about who holds which key patents and how much they ask for their use. This makes it difficult for companies to develop new devices using the technologies covered by these patents. The Parliament had already adopted its negotiating position on 28 February last year (with 454 votes for, 83 against and 78 abstentions). Walsmann said at the time of the committee vote in January 2024 that it will 'bring much-needed transparency to an opaque system, make negotiations fairer and more efficient, and strengthen European technological sovereignty.' However, in early February, the EU executive announced the intention to scrap the file, claiming that there is 'no foreseeable agreement' , and that it will assess 'whether another proposal should be tabled or another type of approach should be chosen.' In the EU Council member states are divided about the way forward with SEPs. A group of five countries including Germany sent a letter on 27 March to the Polish Presidency calling for negotiations to be continued in the Council. 'The withdrawal of the text came as a surprise to us,' a diplomat from one country which did not sign the letter but wanted to pursue the talks told Euronews, 'we need to be able to change the Commission's mind with arguments. We were in the process of negotiating a compromise.' The Commission has until August to formally scrap the file, after consulting the member states and European Parliament.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sisvel Welcomes EU SEP Regulation Rethink
LUXEMBOURG, February 12, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sisvel, Europe's largest and longest-established patent pool operator, welcomes the European Commission's decision to reassess the proposed EU regulation on standard essential patents. This move aligns with the principles spelled out in the Draghi report and the EU's new agenda on competitiveness and reinforces European leadership in standards-related innovation. Sisvel shares the Commission's aims of increasing transparency around SEPs, reducing transaction costs and facilitating licence agreements on FRAND terms. Indeed, these are the challenges we work hard to solve every day as a patent pool operator. However, we spoke out against the proposed regulation from the very beginning because we felt strongly that it did not advance those aims. Instead, it jeopardised European global leadership in connectivity R&D and standards-setting by saddling innovators with a new and burdensome layer of bureaucracy, while potentially imposing additional costs on European SMEs to the benefit of large technology implementers. We are encouraged by the European Commission's new focus on restoring European competitiveness. The decision to withdraw the SEP regulation is a solid step in this direction. The removal of a major uncertainty will bring immediate relief to European innovators, who have a central role to play in restoring dynamism and boosting growth. As the Commission weighs whether to introduce another proposal or adopt a different approach, our door is open. We stand ready to share our deep knowledge of the SEP environment acquired over more than 40 years and to explain how patent pools promote transparent, efficient and equitable access to world-class technology. About Sisvel Sisvel is driven by a belief in the importance of collaboration, ingenuity and efficiency to bridge the needs of patent owners and those who wish to access their technologies. In a complex and constantly evolving marketplace, our guiding principle is to create a level playing field with the development and implementation of flexible, accessible, commercialisation solutions. Sisvel | We Power Innovation View source version on Contacts Sisvel Media Giulia DiniCommunications ManagerTel: +34 93 131 Sign in to access your portfolio
