News from the European Patent Office http://www.epo.org/rss/news.xml en European Patent Office website@epo.org website@epo.org Apache Lenya 2.0.x http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2012/20120124.htmlThe 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.Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2012/20120117.htmlThe 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.Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2012/20120113.htmlMade 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.Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111219.htmlHear what a winner and a nominee have to say about the lasting value of the EPO's awards.Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111215a.htmlEPO launches a new web-based consultation mechanism for proposed legal changes.Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111215.htmlThe 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". Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111201.htmlMeeting 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.Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111129.htmlThe 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. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111125.html"Structured co-operation between the two systems is needed", the EPO's Wim van der Eijk said in his keynote speech in Brussels yesterday.Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111111.htmlWith 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. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111109.htmlMeeting 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.Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111109a.htmlStarting 1 December, Wim Van der Eijk will take over from Peter Messerli as Vice-President responsible for Directorate-General Appeals.Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111108a.htmlPublic 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 AppealTue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111108.htmlThe 29th Trilateral Conference is taking place in St. Germain-en-Laye near Paris this week.Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111104.htmlOn 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.Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0100http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111025b.htmlThe 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. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111025.htmlThe 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. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111019.htmlOpening 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. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111010.htmlWe have set up a Facebook page, a Twitter account and a LinkedIn group for people interested in working at the EPO. Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20111006.htmlEPO 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. Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20110930.htmlEPO President Benoît Battistelli and President of the Federal Service for Intellectual Property of the Russian Federation (Rospatent), Dr Boris Simonov, signed an agreement this week on joint activities to further develop co-operation in IP matters. Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20110928.htmlEPO President Benoît Battistelli and President of the Brazilian National Industrial Property Institute, Mr Jorge Ávila, signed an agreement this week on joint activities to further develop co-operation in IP matters. Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20110927a.htmlEvery year the EPO awards the EPO Prize for Originality to young scientists demonstrating qualities that distinguish successful inventors. This year's winning teams come from Lithuania, Switzerland and Turkey.Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20110922.htmlEPO President Benoît Battistelli met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia Bozidar Djelic in his first official visit to the countryThu, 22 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20110914.htmlAlison Brimelow, who served as President of the EPO for three years from 2007 to 2010 has been awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Grosses Bundesverdienstkreuz). Wed, 14 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20110913.htmlThe European Commission, the EPO, the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) and the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the European Union met in Brussels this week to mark the end of the EU-China Project for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights.Tue, 13 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20110719.htmlThe EU-China IPR2 cooperation project on the protection of Intellectual Property held a closing ceremony last week at the EU Delegation to China in the presence of 13 ministries and enforcement agencies to commemorate the completion of over 200 technical assistance and training activities across China. Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20110713.htmlEPO President Benoît Battistelli and the President of the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (SPTO), Ms Amparo Fernández González, this week signed an agreement on co-operation activities in Latin America. Wed, 13 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20110712.htmlThe public nomination phase for the European Inventor Award 2012 is now open. Anyone can join in the search for Europe's finest inventors. Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0200http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2011/20110706.htmlHeads of Offices and representatives from Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, UK, the USA and the EPO met upon the invitation of EPO President Battistelli at Tegernsee on 5 - 6 July 2011 for a meeting to consider the state of affairs concerning patent law harmonisation. Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0200