The EU Commission publishes its long-awaited draft regulation on a new framework for standard essential patents

On 27 April 2023, the European Commission released its long-awaited draft Regulation on a new framework for standard-essential patents (“SEPs”). The draft Regulation aims at improving the efficiency and predictability in the SEP licensing market, particularly for small and mediumsized enterprises (“SMEs”), by increasing transparency and promoting the use of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. The Commission believes that the draft Regulation will reduce administrative and transactional costs and incentivise participation by European firms in the development process of standardised technologies, particularly in the Internet of Things (“IoT”) industries. The draft Regulation will create a competence centre within the European Union Intellectual Property Office (“EUIPO”) entrusted