Microsoft Wants Patent Harmonisation...

...guess what kind:

Big challenges certainly confront the global patent system: Escalating patent application backlogs; lengthening pendency periods; increasing costs of patent prosecution; dubious patent quality due to the global explosion of prior art and the time allowed to examine applications; and examination inefficiency due to duplication of work by multiple offices.

But these challenges also present unprecedented opportunity. One of the biggest is the opportunity to advance patent harmonization.

...

The logical next step is to accelerate the work underway to align patent approval procedures and application formats, including a common digital application, and to collaboratively set standards for patentable subject matter, adequacy of disclosure and enablement requirements, and the completeness of the examination record. Bold action is needed.

Riiight: "bold" as in "infect the rest of the world with the insanity that is the US patent system" bold, I imagine - not forgetting software as "patentable subject matter" while we're at it.

Danke, aber nein, danke, Horacio.

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