The Gazette 1996

GAZETTE

JUNE 1996

c o n c i se guide to the European patent system and contains the essential principles of the procedural and substantive law of the European patent system. It is an ideal book for those wh o do not require the broader ambit of the main work but require a basic understanding of h ow the European patents system works. The book opens with an outline of the European Patent S y s t em and then takes the reader through the examination, opposition and appeal procedures. Procedural remedies are then discussed f o l l ow ed by amendment of the specification. The section dealing with patentable subject matter is only 12 pages long but explains in a very succinct way what can be a very difficult area. The final three sections deal with priority, novelty and inventive step. The book is lucidly written and very well laid out and provides an ideal introduction to the student or solicitor practitioner to European patent law and practice. Despite being a c o n c i se guide the book contains references to all relevant cases and has an e x t e n s i ve

The European Patent System the Law and Practice of the European Patent Convention First Supplement by G e r a ld P a t e r s o n. P u b l i s h ed by S w e e t & Ma x w e l l, 1 9 9 4; p a p e r b a c k; S t g £ 3 0 . 0 0. The European Patent S y s t em which is Mr. Paterson's more c omp r e h e n s i ve v o l ume was published in Augu st 1992. S i n ce that time there have been a considerable number of d e c i s i ons and opinions necessitating the publication of this First Supplement. For e x amp le the Enlarged Board of Appeal has issued d e c i s i ons and opinions concerning twenty points of law. In addition the Boards of Appeal have issued b e t we en 4 0 and 5 0 d e c i s i o ns each year which, because of their importance, are published in the official Journal of the EPO. Like the main work the First Supplement benefits from the author's lucid and easily c omp r e h e nd ed style. For those wh o have the main work the First Supplement is an essential purchase. B y M i c h a el Ca r dw e l l. P u b l i s h ed by O x f o r d Un i v e r s i ty P r e s s, h a r d b a c k, 3 0 0 p p, S t g £ 4 5. Milk has been referred to as the "white ! gold" of Ireland. The Irish dairy industry is remarkably successful. In 1993 1111 million gallons of milk were produced in Ireland, the dairy industry emp l o y ed an estimated 7 , 0 00 people and the turnover in this sector was £ 1 , 1 50 million. It is against this j background that one can appreciate the importance of milk quotas for Irish farmers. I Since 1984 wh en milk quotas were introduced they have b e c ome a prominent and very controversial feature of the C ommon Agricultural Policy. Throughout the European I Un i on there is n ow a lucrative and Ken Parkinson Milk Quotas, European Community and United Kingdom Law

Practice For Sale Mid West: Sole practitioner selling practice, will consider complete retirement or other arrangement. Contact: Solicitor Link, The Law Society, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7. Ph. 671 0711 vigorous trade in quotas, nowhere more so than in Ireland. Many Irish solicitors n ow deal with milk quotas on a daily basis. Conveyancers in a rural area or advisors to co-operatives or the food industry in particular are well aware of their significance. The recognition of their importance was seen by the very successful seminar on the topic held recently by the Irish Centre for European Law (at which the author of this work was one of the speakers). The legal regulation of milk quotas has an importance that extends b e y ond agriculture. The single largest body of cases before the European Court of Justice concern the CAP with milk quota cases taking a leading role. Milk quota cases have played a very important role in d e v e l op i ng EU law. regime governing milk quotas had never been squarely addressed. The lack of a text in this highly c omp l ex area was deplorable. This lacuna has been triumphantly filled by "Milk Quotas, European Commu n i ty and United K i n g d om Law". This book succinctly sets the law concerning milk quotas. Its primary value will be as a resource b o ok for practitioners. Details are given of the myriad of Regulations concerning this area and all the major cases are covered. Milk quota legislation is very c omp l ex and the author very capably contextualises and explains it. The : first half of the book sets out the legal regulation of agriculture by the European Union. The author e x am i n es the reasons for the introduction of milk quotas, analyses the Regulations wh i ch initially introduced them and the major Though there are a handful of texts on European Agricultural Law, the legal

I index and full Table of Treaties, Conventions, Rules and Protocols.

Ken

Parkinson

European Patent Materials and Index

E d i t e d b y V o i d e r V o s s i u s, C o r i n na V o s s i us a n d T i l m e n V o s s i u s; P u b l i s h ed by S w e e t & Ma x w e l l, 1 9 9 5; p a p e r b a c k; 2 6 5 p p; S t g £ 3 2 . 0 0. This b o ok contains the latest version of the text of the European Patent Co n v e n t i on on the Grant of European Patents, the European Patent Co n v e n t i on Ru l es and F e es Rules, Ru l es of Procedure for the Boards of Appeal and Enlarged Board, No t i c es j from the European Patent o f f i ce regarding procedure and again a very detailed index. Apart from bringing together for the specialist practitioner ] the principle legislation and materials relevant to European Patents the book i will also serve as a c omp a n i on v o l ume to Mr. Paterson's Co n c i se Guide.

Ken

Parkinson

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