Picture: Opel's lightening brand without the IP"Deputy economic minister Dagmar Woehrl told parliament on Wednesday that GM had pledged the IP of Opel as security against capital injections it had received from the US government. Trade union leader Armin Schild, who is on the board of Opel, said that both firms could use the IP without having to pay royalties. But it has raised concerns that it could be sold on by GM. GM Europe proposed last week that Opel should be partly separated from its parent company's US operations. " (BBC news)
"The stricken US car maker General Motors has ceded patents obtained by its German unit Opel to the US Treasury in exchange for public aid, the daily Bild-Zeitung reported on Friday." (Yahoo News)
The two reports appear to conflict each other - has the IP been pledged (BBC) or has it been ceded (Yahoo News) in exchange for the finance. Either way,the perception that Opel may not own all of its IP nor for that matter have control over it (eg in the sense of being able to enforce it as it likes) is one which the car manufacturer will have to try to ensure does not affect their ability to attract investment on all levels. The US Treasury too will also have an interest in ensuring that the perception (and confusion) does not harm their own investment. Those in the know please feel free to "enlighten" us.
