Enforcing and Trading Patents: Evidence for Europe

Applying novel datasets, Fabian Gäßler analyzes how key aspects of the current patent system in Europe and Germany, respectively, affect patent enforcement and patent trade. In particular, he shows what factors determine court selection in patent litigation and how the jurisdictional separation of validity and infringement questions favors the patent holder. The author further provides empirical evidence for the market for patents in Europe. The presented findings yield important implications for the ongoing debate on the optimal design of patent systems.