News

The role and structure of fees, the importance of patent quality and challenges to the functioning of the patent system from overlapping sets of patent rights, so-called patent thickets: these are the issues to be addressed by the Economic and Scientific Advisory Board of the European Patent Office.

The EPO received 243 000 applications, 3% up on the 2010 record figure of 237 500. It granted 62 115 patents, 7% more than in 2010.

Made up of internationally recognised experts with a global perspective and an emphasis on Europe, the board will advise the EPO on economic and social studies.

Hear what a winner and a nominee have to say about the lasting value of the EPO's awards.

EPO launches a new web-based consultation mechanism for proposed legal changes.

The jury at this year's Corporate Media Awards praised the European Patent Office for its fifteen films on the European Inventor Award 2011, which were "first-rate films of the highest quality, a prime example of successful communication between specialists and the general public".

Meeting in South-West China for their 5th Heads of Office Conference, EPO President Benoît Battistelli, and the Commissioner of the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China (SIPO), Tian Lipu, engaged in in-depth discussions in how to enhance their co-operation, and signed a work programme.

The EPO and the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China at their annual bilateral co-operation meeting held in Chongqing signed an agreement which will have a striking impact for the improvement of the global patent system and the dissemination of technological information in the world.

"Structured co-operation between the two systems is needed", the EPO's Wim van der Eijk said in his keynote speech in Brussels yesterday.

With the launch of a new free-of-charge information service from which patent offices and users alike will benefit, the 29th Annual Trilateral Conference of the EPO, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) opened a new era of advancing patent harmonisation across the globe.

Meeting for their Annual Trilateral Conference near Paris, France, the heads of the EPO, the Japan Patent Office and the United States Patent and Trademark Office - collectively known as the Trilateral Offices - progressed in their efforts to further harmonise patent systems around the globe by agreeing on steps to enhance efficiency in patent-related procedures between the three regions.

Starting 1 December, Wim Van der Eijk will take over from Peter Messerli as Vice-President responsible for Directorate-General Appeals.

Public oral proceedings in appeal in the "tomato" case today did not end in a final decision on the patent, but with the announcement by the Board of Appeal of its intention to again refer questions of law to the Enlarged Board of Appeal

The 29th Trilateral Conference is taking place in St. Germain-en-Laye near Paris this week.

On 8 November, a technical board of appeal is holding public oral proceedings on the "tomato" patent (EP 1211926). They are part of an appeal case which will result in a decision to maintain the patent, possibly in amended form, or to revoke it altogether.

The EPO technical board of appeal dealing with the appeal against the "broccoli" patent has cancelled the oral hearing scheduled for 26 October in response to recent submissions filed by the parties involved in the case.

The EPO and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) have launched a website on the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC), a joint project aimed at developing a classification scheme for inventions that will be used by both offices.

Opening the 21st EPO Patent Information Conference, which is taking place in Kilkenny this week, Mr Battistelli highlighted the importance of worldwide patent data, and drew parallels with open government initiatives in the US and Europe.

We have set up a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a LinkedIn group for people interested in working at the EPO.

EPO President Benoît Battistelli met with European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services Michel Barnier at the EPO headquarters in Munich today to discuss the planned introduction of a unitary patent.