FEBRUARY 2008
Adiós language woes, bonjour automatic translations?
Rows about language regimes have stymied attempts to lower the cost of patenting in Europe. Emma Barraclough asks whether automatic translations could be the solution
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The EU now has 23 official languages. Even more are spoken by members of the EPO. Not surprisingly, agreement on a language regime for a planned Community patent has been one of the biggest sticking points to achieving cheaper European patents. But now the European Patent Office has developed a system of automatic translations that enables the public to request a free translation of a patent from – and into – one of four European languages. More languages are due to be added to the EPO's database. But technological constraints that limit the ability of machines to produce word-perfect translations mean that computers providing automatic translations are unlikely to replace their human counterparts any time soon. This article looks at the progress of the EPO's project, as well as assessing the advantages – and the drawbacks – of automatic translations. |
If there is one issue that prevents Europe from developing a more comprehensive and effective patent policy, it is the issue of language. The EU now has 23 official languages – and if you want to have your European patent validated in all EPO member states, you need to translate it into 25 languages, including Norwegian and Turkish.
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