The international patent system walks a tightrope between harmonization and diversity. Harmonization efforts offer the benefit of uniformity, but because of diverse national interests, one size cannot fit all countries. What national flexibilities do current treaties such as the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) offer? Given the rise of regional trade agreements, and controversies over “fast track” negotiating authority, what flexibilities will be available in the future? This conference begins with the recent Declaration on Patent Protection and Regulatory Sovereignty Under TRIPs [2] as a launching point to explore the proper balance between international patent harmonization and national sovereignty.

Speakers:

• Frederick Abbott, Florida State University
• Dan Burk, University of California, Irvine
• Margo Bagley, University of Virginia
• Rochelle Dreyfuss, New York University
• Sean Flynn, American University
• Donald Harris, Temple University
• Reto Hilty, Max Planck Institute
• Cynthia Ho, Loyola University of Chicago
• Matthias Lamping, Max Planck Institute
• Marketa Trimble, University of Nevada, Las Vegas