European Commission Withdraws Proposals for Standard Essential Patents Regulation

On 11 February 2025, the European Commission unveiled its Work Programme for 2025, titled "Moving forward together: A Bolder, Simpler, Faster Union." This strategic document outlines the Commission's key initiatives aimed at enhancing the EU's security, prosperity, and democratic values in the coming year. 

A key takeaway from this document is the removal of almost 40 regulatory proposals from its Annex, including the Proposal for a Regulation on Standard Essential Patents (SEP), which was withdrawn due to no foreseeable agreement. This proposal sparked significant debate from the outset among interest groups, due to its substantial economic implications. 

The interest group said in a statement, “The current patent system in Europe urgently needs modernisation to bolster the region’s competitiveness and innovation capacity. The lack of transparency and fairness in SEP licensing, combined with the absence of the application of proportionality to patent infringement cases, continues to impede innovation and ultimately diminishes the benefits of interoperability for European consumers.”