Former scholars

Bruno van Pottelsberghe

Former Non-Resident Fellow

Expertise: Economics and management of innovation and intellectual property. CV: Download CV

Bruno van Pottelsberghe joined Bruegel as a Senior Resident Fellow in November 2007. His research for Bruegel focuses on the effectiveness of several policy tools (R&D subsidies, R&D tax credits, intellectual property, public research and regulatory policies) aimed at stimulating innovation in Europe.

He was the Chief Economist of the European Patent Office (EPO) from November 2005 to the end of 2007. Since 1999 he has been a professor at the Brussels‘ University (U.L.B.). As holder of the Solvay S.A. Chair of Innovation, he teaches courses related to the economics and management of innovation and intellectual property.

He is also an adviser of the President and the Rector of the U.L.B. for technology transfer issues.

 

Contact information

[email protected]

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Working Paper

The policy dilemma of the unitary patent

This paper provides new evidence about the budgetary consequences – for patent offices – of the coexistence of the forthcoming Unitary Patent (UP) with the current European Patent (EP).

By: Jérôme Danguy and Bruno van Pottelsberghe Topic: Digital economy and innovation Date: November 27, 2014
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Blog Post

The Unitary patent: challenges still ahead

On December 11th the European Parliament approved the proposal made by the Competitiveness Council at Ministerial level to create a “unitary” patent that would cover 25 member states (Spain and Italy opposed the system due to languages reasons).  SMEs will in addition benefit from lower fees.

By: Bruno van Pottelsberghe Topic: Digital economy and innovation Date: December 18, 2012
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Video

Video

The value of a well-designed EU patent

After more than 30 years of negotiations, the European Union is closer to having a unified patent system. After the agreement on translation requirements for the EU Patent back in December 2011, negotiations are now focusing on patent courts and litigation rules. In this video, Research Fellow Bruno van Pottelsberghe explains why it has taken […]

By: Bruno van Pottelsberghe Topic: Digital economy and innovation Date: November 22, 2012
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Working Paper

Corporate governance practices and companies' R&D orientation: evidence from European countries.

This working paper empirically investigates if corporate governance practices affect the resources firms devote to R&D. The authors Florence Honoré, Federico Munari and Bruno van Pottelsberghe found that an executive remuneration system that is linked to the firm’s financial performance has a particularly strong negative impact on R&D. This confirms the hypothesis that incentive mechanisms […]

By: Bruno van Pottelsberghe Topic: Digital economy and innovation Date: January 24, 2011
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Blog Post

Patent Failures

Resident Scholar Bruno van Pottelsberghe discusses the problems that the patent systems face in both the U.S. and Europe. In the States, the lax standards for patent applications has created an enormous backlog and quality has become an issue. In Europe, on the other hand, the patent system is too fragmented to work properly. While […]

By: Bruno van Pottelsberghe Topic: Digital economy and innovation Date: October 13, 2010
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Working Paper

The quality factor in patent systems

In this paper, Bruegel senior Fellow Bruno van Pottelsberghe develops a methodology to compare the quality of examination services in different patent offices. Quality is defined as the extent to which patent offices comply with their patentability conditions in a transparent way. The methodology consists of a two-layer analytical framework encompassing ‘legal standards’ and their […]

By: Bruno van Pottelsberghe Topic: Digital economy and innovation Date: July 12, 2010
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Policy Contribution

Boosting innovation in Europe

Innovation is key to the future of Europe. This Policy Contribution, written together by Mathias Dewatripont, Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management; Bruno van Pottelsberghe and André Sapir, Senior Fellows at Bruegel and professors at ULB; and Reinhilde Veugelers, senior fellow at Bruegel and professor at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, makes suggestions based on three […]

By: André Sapir, Bruno van Pottelsberghe, Reinhilde Veugelers and Mathias Dewatripont Topic: Digital economy and innovation Date: June 27, 2010
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Policy Brief

Europe should stop taxing innovation

In this Policy Brief, Bruegel Senior Fellow Bruno van Pottelsberghe makes the argument in favour of a single EU patent system. The author explains that the absence of a one-stop-shop for EU-wide patents hampers innovation and will pose serious challenges to small and medium-sized companies in the face of global competition. This paper analyses how […]

By: Bruno van Pottelsberghe Topic: Digital economy and innovation Date: March 29, 2010
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External Publication

Think Global Act European II

On 4 March Notre Europe launched the second edition of Think Global Act European. This issue, dedicated to the Spanish, Belgian and Hungarian Trio Presidency, compiles analysis and recommendations from 14 different think tanks on the different issues concerning the changing role of the rotating presidency and the trio themselves. Bruegel has contributed with three […]

By: Jean Pisani-Ferry, Bruno van Pottelsberghe and Jakob von Weizsäcker Topic: Macroeconomic policy Date: March 4, 2010
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Policy Contribution

Memo to the New Digital Agenda Commissioner

Senior Resident Fellows Reinhilde Veugelers and Bruno van Pottelsberghe provide recommendations for the term of new Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes in this supplement to Bruegel’s Memos to the New Commission: Europe’s Economic Priorities 2010-2015. They argue that Kroes should move past a focus on infrastructure and concentrate more on ICT’s potential to contribute to […]

By: Bruno van Pottelsberghe and Reinhilde Veugelers Topic: Digital economy and innovation Date: January 25, 2010
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Working Paper

Cost Benefit Analysis of the Community Patent

The creation of a European Community Patent (COMPAT) came a step closer this month when Sweden brokered a preliminary agreement on the issue. In this working paper, Senior Resident Fellow Bruno van Pottelsberghe and Jérôme Danguy use simulations to take a look at the advantages, disadvantages, winners and losers from the creation of the COMPAT. […]

By: Bruno van Pottelsberghe and Jérôme Danguy Topic: Digital economy and innovation Date: December 23, 2009
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