OxFirst, a recognized damage expert and expert in economic matters concerning IP and competition law, gathered key players in the Standard Essential Patent landscape to discuss the future of FRAND (fair reasonable and non-discriminatory) licensing.
Jointly with its key sponsors Allen & Overy and Bristows, two major law firms known for their IP and competition practice, OxFirst convened main actors in FRAND licensing and enforcement in Brussels on February 14 & 15, 2019. Among others, further support was received from important law firms in the field such as Bird & Bird, Taylor Wessing, Dentons, Sheppard & Mullin, Kirkland & Ellis, White & Case and Marks & Clerk.
Under the leadership of Dr Roya Ghafele, the Forum addressed a series of legal and economic aspects of standard essential patents. In particular, it was discussed whether FRAND can be defined, at what level licensing rates should be determined and what economic implications the FRAND Agreement can trigger. Further under debate was recent European and U.S. case law on FRAND alongside a thorough discussion of the practical applicability of the CJEU landmark case ‘Huawei vs. ZTE.’ Artificial Intelligence based solutions for patent analysis were also assessed. An interesting debate also emerged on the role of patent pools and other patent aggregators to structure future technology markets.
Substantive competition law and economics aspects were brought forward by Representatives of the Belgium, Italian and European Competition Authorities. Judges from the German Supreme Court, the English High Court and the Antwerp Court of Appeal provided cutting edge insights on the evolution of judicial practice with regards to FRAND across various European countries.
OxFirst’s Forum was fully accredited for continuous professional education for the legal profession and extremely well received by academia, public authorities, the judiciary and market players alike. With the launch of this training forum, OxFirst hopes to offer a stimulating training environment, while at the same time bridging the gap between law and economics.
For further information see ‘OxFirst Third IP and Competition Forum’: http://www.oxfirst.com/OxFirstThirdIPandCompetitionForum