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About the reform
The development of modern methods of electronic access and retrieval of information meant that it was necessary to adapt patent classification to the electronic age.
The IPC reform project was initiated in 1999. Close co-operation among industrial property offices was necessary for achieving the reform.
One of the important features of the reformed IPC is the new principle of reclassifying all documents affected by a change in the classification scheme. As a result, it is possible under the new IPC to search all documents using the edition of the IPC currently in force - it is not necessary to be familiar with earlier editions.
Another important feature is the two-level structure. The two-level system consists of a "core" and an "advanced" level. The core level is a subset of the IPC without the finely divided subgroups and makes it easier for less experienced or less specialised users to search or classify.