Eleven of the countries signed letters formally requesting the European Commission to draft a proposal based on the most recent compromise on the table. Another dozen said in the public debate that it was time to move forward through enhanced cooperation. The Commission's proposal will be presented to EU ministers in charge of competitiveness on Tuesday (14 December).

"We need to look to the future, we need to be pragmatic," said Frenchman Michel Barnier, the EU's commissioner for the internal market and services. "We need to move forward with as many member states as possible. I hope all member states sign on to this."

The move increases pressure on Italy and Spain, the most vocal opponents, as well as two hesitant members. The Czech Republic called for an impact assessment of enhanced cooperation, and Cyprus said it still hoped for a unanimous decision.

The most recent plan on the table calls for an EU patent that would be translated into English as well as French or German, which together are the three working languages of the Union. There are also complicated provisions for manual and machine-generated translations into native languages.

Privileged languages?

But that has drawn the ire of Italy, which wants an English-only patent system, and Spain, which says the plan discriminates against Spanish companies.

"They would be privileged languages and give rise to other privileges too," said Diego Lopez Garrido, Spanish state secretary for EU affairs. "It would inevitably give rise to discrimination and divide the Union."

This is only the second time that member states have used enhanced cooperation to sidestep blocking members. In July, 14 countries – including Italy, Spain, Germany and France – agreed to simplify divorce rules for couples of different nationalities.

At least nine countries are needed to create a pact for enhanced cooperation, and on the patent issue there are 11. The formal requests were signed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The concerted action marked a victory for Belgium, which pledged to push through a common patent before its six-month presidency ends this month. The rotating president's scepter will pass in January to Hungary, which will take up the fight at a Council meeting in February. "We will do our best because that will contribute to Europe's competitiveness," said Hungarian Minister Zoltán Cséfalvay.

Source: http://www.erisa.be/Lists/News/DispForm.aspx?ID=3044, as accessed on December 10, 2010.