A la une

EPO President Battistelli met with German Federal Minister of Justice Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger at the EPO headquarters in Munich today to discuss developments in the European patent system, and in particular the future unitary patent.

Making climate protection part of our daily lives is actually really easy and can even be rewarding - so goes the key message of the exhibition mounted by Bavaria's consumer organisation under the motto "Climate protection - everyone can do their bit!".

The EPO, the member states of the European Patent Organisation and the OHIM in its observer capacity met in Reykjavik on 11/12 June to discuss how to bring co-operation forward in order to improve the quality and efficiency of the European patent system, and thus better serve industry.

The agreement confirms the commitment of the two organisations to work together to better serve industry worldwide, and strengthens the EPO's wider strategy in connection with standards.

EPO sponsors prize in the European Satellite Navigation Competition

The IP5 offices renewed their commitment to developing the "Global Dossier", a system to simplify the viewing and management of applications filed in the IP5 offices. They also agreed to adopt the Global Classification Initiative, a new effort to harmonise patent classification.

The EPO and the Japan Patent Office (JPO) today announced the launch of the Japanese-English component of the EPO's automatic translation service Patent Translate.

L'OEB et le SIPO signent un protocole d'accord pour améliorer leur coopération dans le domaine de la classification des brevets

Plus de 500 invités ont assisté à la cérémonie de remise des prix au Beurs van Berlage à Amsterdam, dont Son Altesse Royale la Princesse Beatrix des Pays-Bas, le Secrétaire d'Etat néerlandais de l’Education, de la Culture et des Sciences Sander Dekker et le Commissaire européen au Marché intérieur et aux services Michel Barnier.

Le Président de l'OEB, M. Benoît Battistelli, a souligné aujourd'hui la créativité des inventeurs européens, ainsi que le rôle du système des brevets, qui contribue à traduire ce potentiel d'innovation en croissance économique et en développement social.

Some 1.98 million patent applications were filed at the world's five largest patent offices last year, according to preliminary data just released by the EPO, JPO, KIPO, SIPO and USPTO, collectively known as the IP5.

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.

Lors d'une visite officielle au Luxembourg, le Président de l'OEB, M. Benoît Battistelli, a rencontré M. Etienne Schneider, ministre de l’Economie et du Commerce extérieur, et M. Lex Kaufhold, chargé de la direction de l'Office de la propriété intellectuelle, ainsi que des représentants de l'industrie nationale, de la Business Federation Luxembourg (la FEDIL) et des conseils en PI pour discuter de la manière dont le système des brevets peut encourager davantage l'innovation au Luxembourg et en 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.

Le prix est remis chaque année pour des inventeurs exceptionnels dans cinq catégories. Pour la première fois, le public est invité à voter pour sélectionner les vainqueurs parmi les 15 nominés pour le Prix populaire.

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.