EU Chiefs Reach Agreement on Patent System, Van Rompuy Says

European Union leaders cleared the final hurdle to an agreement on a common patent system, paving the way for improved and cheaper enforcement of intellectual-property rights.

“After 30 years of discussions on a European patent, we reached an agreement on the last outstanding issue, the seat of the Unified Patent Court,” EU President Herman Van Rompuy said today in Brussels after a two-day summit of European leaders.