Archive 2008

7.5.2008
Patent system: Fit to fight global warming?
The European Patent Forum brought together participants from 45 countries in Ljubljana, to discuss how the fields of patenting and IP could support innovations that benefit the environment and counteract climate change.

7.5.2008
Europe’s best innovators honoured in Ljubljana
The inventors of a revolutionary antiviral treatment, a fuel-efficient aluminium car frame, a effective non-invasive eye scan and a groundbreaking surgical robot are the European Inventors of the Year 2008.

6.5.2008
Patents to save the planet?
Green expertise to combat climate change needs to become Europe’s competitive advantage – and the IP system should be one of the key drivers of that edge, according to EC Vice President Günter Verheugen.

30.4.2008
China launches Chinese-English translation tool
A free online machine translation service for patent information searchers and an English version of the "China Intellectual Property Net" website have been launched.

28.4.2008
EPO and USPTO to Pilot Patent Prosecution Highway
The PPH will leverage fast-track patent examination procedures already available in both offices to allow applicants to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently.

25.4.2008
Celebrating innovation on World IP Day
The EPO is marking World Intellectual Property Day by presenting the technologies behind some of Europe's most remarkable inventions.

17.4.2008
European launch of the EU-China IPR2 project
The EPO's Gérard Giroud and DG Trade's Ewa Synowiec gave an outline of the new cooperation project to representatives of the EPO member states, industry and IP experts from European institutions in Brussels today.

10.4.2008
Nominees for Europe's top innovation prize announced
The "European Inventor of the Year awards 2008" will be presented at a gala in Ljubljana on 6 May. Twelve individuals or teams are in the running.

1.4.2008
EPO grants fewer patents despite rise in applications
President Alison Brimelow said the lower number of patents published in 2007 reflects the EPO's commitment to quality.

27.3.2008
The "Broccoli" case: facts, dates and submissions
The Enlarged Board of Appeal of the EPO (EBoA) is currently considering a case concerning patenting a certain type of invention related to the production of plants and animals.

14.3.2008
Trilateral offices to extend work-sharing initiatives
Representatives from the EPO, JPO and USPTO met in Munich this week to discuss ways to improve efficiency and quality of the patent procedure.

7.3.2008
IP training website launched
The ip4inno project is part of the European Commission's "PRO INNO Europe" initiative to promote innovation in Europe. The EPO is one of 19 participating partners.

5.3.2008
New initiative for Community patent
The Slovenian EU presidency has presented proposals on translations and renewal fees in an effort to revive discussions on a Community Patent. The paper will be discussed in the Council next week.

26.2.2008
PCT applications reach record high in 2007
Six European countries were among the top ten countries of origin last year, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

15.2.2008
Worldwide patent filings on the rise
More than 1.6 million patents were filed around the globe in 2005, according to the WIPO Patent Report 2007, which appeared this week.

8.2.2008
London Agreement: key points explained
The EPO has published the first comprehensive overview of practices in the member states, detailing where and how the agreement applies.

1.2.2008
French and German delegations visit EPO
Talks focussed on Europe's relations with China, the Community Patent and a central European patent court during a visit to the EPO headquarters in Munich on Friday.

30.1.2008
"XY/frozen sperm" patent maintained in amended form
The EPO decided that the contested patent will have to be restricted in scope in opposition proceedings today.

30.1.2008
London Agreement to enter into force on 1 May
The German Justice Ministry has confirmed that France deposited the instrument of ratification yesterday, paving the way for cheaper European patents.

25.1.2008
IP a priority for Slovenian EU presidency
Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak said Slovenia would work towards a European patent litigation system and community patent in a speech to the European Parliament this week.

22.1.2008
President visits Croatian Office
EPO President Alison Brimelow welcomed Croatia as the 34th member state of the European Patent Office during an official visit on Tuesday.

1.1.2008
Croatia and Norway join the EPO
The two countries acceded to the European Patent Convention (EPC) on 1 January, bringing the total number of EPO member states to 34.