Message to the Senate Transmitting the Strasbourg Agreement Concerning the International Patent Classification.

To the Senate of the United States:

With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification, I transmit herewith a certified copy of the Strasbourg Agreement Concerning the International Patent Classification, signed March 24, 1971. I transmit also, for the information of the Senate, the report from the Department of State with respect to the Agreement.

The purpose of the Agreement is generally similar to that set forth in the Nice Agreement Concerning International Classification of Goods and Services to which Trademarks are Applied, as revised at Stockholm July 14, 1967, and the Locarno Agreement Establishing an International Classification for Industrial Designs, signed October 8, 1968. Both of these earlier Agreements were approved by the Senate on December 11, 1971. The countries party to the Agreement constitute a Special Union under the Pads Union established by the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, last revised in 1967 at Stockholm. The Special Union consists of an Assembly of all contracting parties and a Committee of Experts. Pursuant to the Agreement a common classification is adopted for patents for invention, inventors' certificates, utility models and utility certificates, to be known as the "International Patent Classification" and provisions are included for its amendment.

It is important from the standpoint of the interest of patent owners and from the standpoint of effective government administration of its patent functions that the United States become a party to the Agreement so that it may participate as a member of the Special Union.

I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to this Agreement and give its advice and consent to ratification.

RICHARD NIXON

The White House,

March 22, 1973.