2013

A new study by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Patent Office (EPO) -Patents and Clean Energy Technologies in Africa- found that Africa has a huge untapped potential for generating clean energy.

On an official visit to Slovakia, EPO President Benoît Battistelli, met with Prime Minister Robert Fico, the Minister of Economy Tomáš Malatinský and other representatives of government, industry and academia to discuss how to further strengthen the patent system to promote innovation and economic growth in Slovakia and Europe.

Around 300 senior representatives of industry, academia and government gathered at a two day-conference organised jointly by the EPO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Technische Universität München (TUM) to look at how to create markets out of research results.

In an official visit to Luxembourg President Benoît Battistelli met with the Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Etienne Schneider, the Head of the IP office, Lex Kaufhold, as well as with representatives of the national industry, the Business Federation of Luxembourg (FEDIL), and patent attorneys to discuss how the patent system can further encourage innovation in Luxembourg and Europe.

The EPO and the International Electrotechnical Commission have agreed to work closely together by facilitating the EPO use of IEC's standardisation documents in all phases of its patenting process.

An opposition division of the EPO has decided to revoke the European patent in the so-called "Brüstle" case in public oral proceedings held today.

The EPO has signed an agreement with the Institut français to boost French language training across Europe.

Der Preis wird alljährlich in fünf Kategorien an herausragende Erfinder verliehen. Zum ersten Mal wird dabei auch ein Publikumspreis vergeben.

During its 135th session, the Council re-elected Mr Jesper Kongstad as its Chair, for a three year mandate which will start on 1 July 2013.

This is a further milestone after the adoption of the unitary patent package in December 2012 and the signing last month of the international agreement on the Unified Patent Court.

Das EPA hat Vereinbarungen über Sprachkurse mit dem British Council und dem Goethe-Institut geschlossen, um die Verwendung der drei Amtssprachen des EPA Deutsch, Englisch und Französisch in den 27 Mitgliedstaaten zu stärken, die keine dieser Sprachen als Landessprache haben.

The EPO's Economic and Scientific Advisory Board has issued a statement with recommendations for improving the patent system, based on the main findings of its 2012 activities.

“Das Wachstum der Einreichungen durch europäische Unternehmen ist ein deutliches Zeichen, dass die Wirtschaft auf Innovationen setzt, um die Krise zu überwinden“, sagte EPA-Präsident Benoît Battistelli

"The EPO is a driving force for innovation, and thereby, for competitiveness and economic growth," he said.

The European Patent Office (EPO) welcomes the signing by EU ministers today in Brussels of an international agreement establishing a Unified Patent Court (UPC), which paves the way for the implementation of a unitary patent system in Europe.

Mit 63% kam die deutliche Mehrzahl der Anmeldungen aus außereuropäischen Ländern (2011: 62%), während der Anteil der 38 EPA-Mitgliedstaaten bei 37% lag (2011: 38%).

The EPO has revoked the Amazon “Gift order” patent after holding public oral proceedings in a first-instance opposition procedure.

Das EPA und das Patent- und Markenamt der Vereinigten Staaten (USPTO) haben heute offiziell die gemeinsame Patentklassifikation CPC (Cooperative Patent Classification) eingeführt, ein globales Klassifikationssystem für Patentdokumente.