MEPs have voted in favour of a single European Union patent system, 35 years after work on the proposal began.
The provisions will come into effect in 2014 and will allow inventors take out a single patent valid in 25 EU member states. Italy and Spain have opted out.
It currently costs an average of €32,000 to get an invention patented in each member state.
However it is expected the new system will cost just €1,000.
