Peer-to-Patent Project

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Britain's Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and the European Patent Office have launched the pilot scheme Peer-toPatent, a radical approach to reforming the complex international patent system. The scheme will open 250 pending patent applications in Computer Architecture, Software, and Information Security to internet-based collaboration, soliciting comments and applying a system of peer review, in contrast to the one-examiner-per-patent process approach. The efficency of a patent system is critical to innovation, but there is still fierce debate surrounding the patenting of software, businesses processes and especially human and animal genes. The outcomes of the project are uncertain, but it can also show the way for other kind of e-Democracy projects.

More info on the porject here.