Search

Table 3.30 Contribution of IP industries, 2017-19 average
(...)
CCMT [climate change mitigation technology] and green: Share of total direct employment (%): 9.3; Share of total direct and indirect employment (%): n.a.; Share of total GDP (%): 14; Average wage premium compared to non-IPR-intensive industries (%): n.a.; Exports (EUR million): n.a.; Imports (EUR million): n.a.; Trade balance (EUR million): 36539
n.a. Not applicable.
Source: EPO/EUIPO (2022), IPR-intensive Industries and Economic Performance in the European Union – Industry-Level Analysis Report, 4th edition.

3.259. Regarding biotechnological inventions, in July 2017, the Administrative Council of the EPO [European Patent Office] adopted a decision amending relevant rules of the Implementing Regulations to the European Patent Convention (EPC). The amended rules clarify, inter alia, that "under Article 53(b) EPC, European patents shall not be granted in respect of plants or animals exclusively obtained by means of an essentially biological process" (Rule 28(2)). In the review period, the EPO's Enlarged Board of Appeal confirmed that, in light of the agreement between and practice of the 38 Contracting States of the EPC (which all exclude the patentability of plants or animals exclusively obtained by means of an essentially biological process), under the Convention, these products should be considered excluded from patentability.

3.266. A EUIPO [European Union Intellectual Property Office] report on Green EU trade marks shows a trend towards use of terms that can be said to be related to the protection of the environment and sustainability in trademark registration, with an increasing share of such filings by non-EU owners. It also shows that SMEs play an important role in bringing "green" goods and services to the marketplace.

3.280. (...) Notably, the joint EUIPO [European Union Intellectual Property Office]/OECD 2022 study on dangerous fakes quantitatively assesses the scope and trends of trade in counterfeit products that pose health, safety, and environmental threats. (...)

4.2. (...) During the review period, the number of organic producers and the area under organic farming continued to increase.

4.8. The new CAP [the Common Agricultural Policy] brings together the support via direct payments, internal market support, and that under the rural development scheme, incorporating the sustainability objectives of the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy referenced therein, and the Biodiversity Strategy 2030. It aims to "ensure a sustainable future for European farmers, provide more targeted support to smaller farms, and allow greater flexibility for member States in adapting the measures to local conditions", according to the Council. [8]
[8] European Council (2021), "Council Adopts Fairer, Greener and More Performance-Based Farming Policy for 2023-2027", 2 December. (...)

4.9. The reform [the Common Agricultural Policy] (i) significantly increases the focus on measures aiming to address challenges relating to the climate, the environment, (...) Nevertheless, while increasing the focus on sustainability and finetuning the framework of support overall, it remains unchanged in terms of the level and composition of support it provides.

4.10. (...) While the 10 key objectives contained in the new CAP [the Common Agricultural Policy] are in principle unchanged from the 9 objectives and 1 cross-cutting objective of the previous CAP, they play a more important role than previously, according to the Commission. Focusing on social, environmental, and economic goals, they are to (...) (iv) take action on climate change; (v) foster environmental care; (vi) preserve landscapes and biodiversity; (...)

4.13. Support provided as direct payments under the new CAP [the Common Agricultural Policy] remains the main income support tool, but the measures funded differ slightly from those under the previous system. Direct payments are available for (...) (iv) schemes for the climate, the environment, and animal welfare ("eco-schemes"). (...)

4.14. (...) The new CAP [the Common Agricultural Policy] strengthens requirements for compliance with basic standards for good agriculture and environmental conditions. It adds the requirements in place for obtaining the "greening payments" under the old CAP to the former rules on "cross-compliance" to receive any direct payments, referring to these augmented rules as "conditionality" for receiving direct payments. Member States then define additional criteria for farmers to receive payments under the "eco schemes", with a similar mechanism in place regarding rural development. According to the Commission, this new "green architecture" provides more opportunities to reward farmers willing to provide public goods. (...)