LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
An Update of FICPI's Recent Activities
May 2002

On the eve of the Executive Committee meeting in Newport Beach, I underwent emergency surgery to treat a brain tumour. Fortunately, the test results highlighting the problem were available just in time to cause me to enter hospital rather than the aeroplane as intended. (With the operation completed, I am now undergoing chemotherapy that will last for six months. I expect to be able to attend to my FICPI duties throughout this period and it is certainly my wish to do so).

I have been for some time paying tribute to the strength of the FICPI bureau. This proved correct at the ExCo. My friend and Vice President, Francis Ahner, stepped in to conduct the ExCo and it was managed in expert fashion. A full report has been published in ExCo News, previously circulated.

An important outcome was that the ExCo established new admission guidelines for individual members. Rolf Dietrichson, the President of the Admissions Commission, has been working under great difficulty without such guidelines.

Another important step taken was that the Public Relations and Marketing Committee and Membership Committee have been merged into the Marketing and Membership Commission with John Orange as its President. (FICPI does not allow its talent to retire.) You will hear about initiatives of this Commission as time goes on. In particular, we are planning an initiative in conjunction with the Prague Forum and ExCo in October 2002.

Following the ExCo in Newport Beach, we conducted a Joint Symposium with the Asian Patent Attorneys Association (APAA) which was attended by over 260 delegates from 42 countries. An excellent professional programme was enjoyed by all. Judges Michel, Whyte and Luckern conducted a plenary session on "Practical difficulties of U.S. claim interpretation - a Judge's viewpoint" which proved to be of great interest. Those who missed this event missed something of significant professional value. The opportunity to mix with Asian colleagues was also of significant advantage. Ray Stewart is thanked for the excellent administrative arrangements and John Orange for the professional programme.

Now to the future. The next major event is our Forum in Prague from 9 to12 October 2002. The programme has been set and looks to be of great interest indeed. Again, this is an event not to be missed. The initial brochure has been mailed. I suggest you mark your diary now. It is bound to be up to the usual high FICPI standard.

Shortly after the ExCo, the other members of the Bureau and the President of the CET travelled to Tokyo to visit the JPO, JIPA, FICPI Japan and JPAA. They then moved on to Beijing to visit the State Intellectual Property Office of P.R. China (SIPO) and the All-China Patent Agents Association (ACPAA) with whom we have established strong links. A report on these successful visits is published herein. Late in May, we also had a very successful meeting with Dr Kober, President of the EPO and with the German Patentanwaltskammer to discuss preparations for the World Congress to take place in Berlin in June 2003.

Finally, I record my sincere thanks for the work of Vice President Francis Ahner, Convenor of Council John Orange and Secretary General Jean-Jacques Joly who have each taken on a substantial workload on behalf of FICPI during my illness.