February 9 -The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) releases statistics for 2010 showing that intellectual property fi lings rebounded. Patent fi lings increased by nearly 5 percent over 2009; very strong growth from China, South Korea, and Japan offset mixed performances from European countries and a slight decline in fi lings from the United States. The United States remains the largest user of the international patent system. International trademark fi lings also grew, increasing by 12.8 percent. South Korea led in this category, with China following; trademark fi lings from the United States grew by 26 percent.
March 3 - Science|Business reports the release of the fi rst-ever National Innovation Index published by China. The index, which used data from a range of international organizations to rate factors such as resources, value creation, and corporate innovation, was carried out by the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development (CASTED). According to the report, the United States is ranked fi rst in the index, followed by Switzerland, South Korea, and Japan. China ranked 21st, although the index indicates that China leads the world in total R&D staff and high-tech exports and ranks in the top three for number of patents granted each year.
March 10 -In an opinion issued today, the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union rules that therapies based on human embryonic stem cells should not be patentable. The opinion must be confi rmed by the full Court in order to take effect. However, if it is confi rmed-and Advocate General opinions typically are-the ruling could have widespread repercussions for European biotech. The opinion comes as U.S. stem-cell researchers await the outcome of an appeal of a U.S. District Court ruling that government funding of embryonic stem-cell research is illegal.
March 29 -A report released today by the UK Royal Society, Knowledge, Networks and Nations: Global Scientifi c Collaboration in the 21st Century , fi nds that BRIC countries are emerging as scientifi c leaders. Analyzing numbers of scientifi c publications, the study found that China's output is now second only to the United States. Brazil and India are also gaining ground, according to the report, which also identifi ed a cluster of as-yet unrecognized emerging scientifi c centers, including Turkey, Tunisia, and Iran. Researchers also highlighted an apparent increase in the number of international collaborations, based on an increase in the number of articles having international authorship, up to over 35 percent from 25 percent in the 1990s.
April 4 -Belgian chemical company Solvay announces that it has agreed to buy French specialty chemical producer Rhodia for $4.8 billion. The deal is expected to close in August; the new company will have more than $17 billion in annual sales. The acquisition is widely seen as an attempt by Solvay to diversify and to broaden market reach. Rhodia currently makes about 45 percent of its total sales in emerging markets such as Brazil and China; according to analysts, the new fi rm will get about 40 percent of sales from those markets.
May 2 -Israel Agriculture Minister Orit Noked announces that India and Israel are in talks to create a fund to support collaboration in agriculture. Each government will contribute $25 million; the money will go to cooperative projects in effi cient irrigation technology, biotechnology, and agricultural R&D. The plan emerges from a joint working group formed last month to investigate the possibilities for agricultural cooperation between the two nations.
May 4 -The European Commission euro launches a 600 million public-private partnership to build Europe's "Internet of the future." With the Internet economy projected to account for nearly 6 percent of EU GDP by 2014, the project is intended to bolster the network's capacity, security, and fl exibility to handle an exponential rise in data traffi c. The Commission euro will commit 300 million over fi ve years, with an initial investment euro of 90 million. Commission funds will be matched by resources from private companies and research organizations. Funded projects will develop new technologies and business models to sustain anticipated needs and ensure that the Internet of the future can accommodate projected traffi c while protecting safety, diversity, and privacy.
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