https://www.epo.org/en/node/members

SACEPO and its working parties

Main SACEPO

The Main SACEPO is composed of 41 high-level practitioners with extensive experience in the IP field, appointed by the President of the EPO, either ad personam or on a proposal from BusinessEurope, epi, AIPPI, FEMIPI, FICPI, Union-IP, as well as AIPLA, IPO, JIPA, JPAA, KINPA, PPAC and the US Bar-EPO Liaison Council.

Exchanges in the Main SACEPO focus on general policy topics and the Office’s general orientations such as the Strategic Plans 2023 and 2028, actions to further enhance quality, digital transformation of the patent grant process, international co-operationUnitary Patent and Convergence of Practice.

List of members

Mr Peter Martinsson 

BUSINESSEUROPE

Ericsson

Ms Géraldine Guery-Jacques

BUSINESSEUROPE

SEB Développement

Mr Peter Berg

BUSINESSEUROPE

Infineon Technologies

Mr Boris Prehofer

BUSINESSEUROPE

Siemens Österreich

Ms Bettina Wanner

BUSINESSEUROPE

Bayer Intellectual Property

Ms Åsa Rydenius

BUSINESSEUROPE

Scania CV

Mr Jim Boff

epi

Armstrong Teasdale

Mr John GRAY

epi

John Gray IP Limited

Mr Tiemen Reijns

epi

Unilever Patent Group

Mr Peter Thomsen

epi

Novartis International

Mr Chris Mercer

epi

Carpmaels & Ransford

Ms Katerina Hartvichova

epi

Harber IP

Mr Koen Bijvank

AIPPI

Brinkhof

Ms Tamara J. Elmore

AIPPI

V.O.

Mr Beat Weibel

FEMIPI

Siemens

Mr Henning Lütjens

FEMIPI

Bayer Intellectual Property

Mr Robert Watson

FICPI

Mewburn Ellis

Mr Christian Wende

FICPI

DTS Patent- und Rechtsanwälte

Mr Reinier Wijnstra

UNION-IP

WijnstraWise Patents

Mr Rui Gomes

UNION-IP

J. Pereira da Cruz

Ms Susan Kirsch 

AIPLA

Carpmaels & Ransford

Mr Raymond E. Farrell

AIPLA

Carter Deluca

Mr Daniel Staudt

IPO

Siemens

Mr Akitoshi Yamanaka

JIPA

Denso Corporation

Mr Jumpei Hayashi

JIPA

Canon

Ms Kumiko Yamada

JPAA

Yamada International Patent Firm

Mr Seiji Sogo

JPAA

Fukami Patent Office

Ms Jeeyoun Shin

KPAA

CJ HealthCare

Mr Young Jin Heo

KPAA

Kim & Chang

Mr ChangHan Ryu

KINPA

Hyundai Motors Group/Hyundai Autoever

Mr Bo Hyun Lee

KINPA

LG Energy Solution

Ms Xiaoyun Lei

PPAC

 

Ms Lingling Cui

PPAC

Baidu

Mr Robert Furr

US Bar-EPO Liaison Council

Koch Companies Public Sector
Mr João Barreto ad personam Perceive3D
Mr Rubén Bonet ad personam FRACTUS

Mr Francesco Macchetta

ad personam Bracco Imaging

Mr Jonathan P. Osha

ad personam Osha Bergman Watanabe & Burton

Mr Scott Roberts

ad personam British Telecom

Ms Olga Sirakova

ad personam Interius Patent Attorneys

Ms Magali Touroude Pereira

ad personam Touroude & Associates
SACEPO Working Party on Quality (WP/Q)

SACEPO Working Party on Quality is the forum to foster a common understanding of quality between the EPO and the users of the European patent system.

It is composed of four geographical branches (Europe/Neighbouring countries, Asia/Oceania, Americas and Africa/Middle-East) with a total of 72 experts in the field of patent prosecution appointed by the President of the EPO, either ad personam or on a proposal from user associations.

The Working Party on Quality serves as the primary platform for active engagement with the EPO regarding quality matters, typically convening twice yearly to exchange ideas on initiatives aimed at improving quality in the patent grant process, discussing the EPO's quality audit, and reviewing actions taken by the EPO to enhance dialogue with users. Additionally, members regularly provide input to ensure continual improvement of the EPO's User Satisfaction Surveys and engage in discussions concerning reports from the Stakeholder Quality Assurance Panels (SQAPs). Moreover, progress in achieving quality objectives at the EPO under SP2028's driver 3, which builds upon the goals of SP2023's Goal 3, is shared and deliberated among the Working Party members.

WP/Q Europe/ neighbouring countries

WP/Q Asia/Oceania

WP/Q Americas

WP/Q Africa/Middle-East

WP/Q Europe/ neighbouring countries: List of members

Mr Jean-François Adam

BUSINESSEUROPE

Infineon Technologies

Mr Anthony Kavanagh

BUSINESSEUROPE

Key Patent Innovations

Ms Åsa Rydenius

BUSINESSEUROPE

Scania CV

Ms Maaike Schaapman

BUSINESSEUROPE

Philips International

Ms Eva Carlsson

epi

AWA Denmark

Mr Bogoljub Ilievski

epi

Minerva IP

Ms Valérie Mellet

epi

Patent 42

Mr Peter Thomsen

epi

Novartis International

Ms Gaëlle Bourout

AIPPI

Linklaters

Mr Nèstor Corominas

AIPPI

Curell Suñol
Mr Roy Melzer IPAA Ehrlich Group

Mr Henning Lütjens

FEMIPI

Bayer Intellectual Property

Mr Winfried Sabisch

FEMIPI

Siemens

Mr Axel Remde

FICPI

Rentsch Partner

Mr Christian Wende

FICPI

DTS Patent- und Rechtsanwälte

Mr Jochen Kilchert

UNION-IP

Meissner Bolte

Mr Simon Wright

UNION-IP

Schlich Ltd

Ms Sieglinde Jabs

EPIPA

LM Patent Holding

Mr Rubén Bonet

ad personam

FRACTUS

Mr Marek Bury

ad personam

Bury & Bury

Ms Brigitte Carion-Taravella

ad personam

Sanofi

Ms Katerina Hartvichova

ad personam

Harber IP

Mr Hans-Rainer Jaenichen

ad personam

Vossius & Partner

Mr Mike J Jennings 

ad personam

AA Thornton

Mr Francesco Macchetta

ad personam

Bracco Imaging

Mr Jeroen du Pont

ad personam

Shell International

Mr Gianluca Previti

ad personam

Iveco Group
Mr Gwilym Roberts ad personam Kilburn & Strode

Mr Scott Roberts

ad personam

British Telecom

Mr Christian Vejgaard

ad personam

Ericsson

Ms Bettina Wanner 

ad personam

Bayer Intellectual Property

WP/Q Asia/Oceania: List of members

Ms Vidisha Garg

AIPPI

Anand & Anand

Mr Michael Caine

FICPI

Davies Collison Cave

Ms Archana Shanker

FICPI

Anand & Anand

Mr Martin Schweiger

FICPI

Schweiger & Partners

Mr Kensuke Inoshita

JIPA

Fujitsu

Ms Tomoko Nakamura

JIPA

Ricoh

Mr Satoshi Murakami

JPAA

Seiwa Patent & Law

Mr Seiji Sogo 

JPAA

Fukami Patent Office

Mr NamJoong Kim 

KINPA

Secretariat / General Manager

Mr ChangHan Ryu 

KINPA

Hyundai Motors Group/Hyundai Autoever

Mr Ji Myung Choi

KPAA

Shin & Kim

Ms Ji-Hye Jung

KPAA

HANA IP Law Firm

Ms Han Guo

PPAC

Gree Electric Appliances

Mr Qingkui Lian

PPAC

Huawei Technologies Co.

Mr Kin Wah Chow

ad personam

Suryomurcito & Co.

Mr Fabrice Mattei 

ad personam

Rouse

WP/Q Americas: List of members

Ms Enrica Bruno

AIPLA

Steinfl + Bruno

Mr Iván Sempere

ASIPI

PADIMA

Mr Matthew Lambrinos

FICPI

Franklin & Associates International

Ms Giselle Reuben

FICPI

BLP Legal

Ms Katja Bergen  

IPO

3M

Ms Jasmine DeCock

US Bar-EPO Liaison Council

Fish & Richardson

Mr Kazim Agha

ad personam

Ridout & Maybee
Mr Juan Pablo Egaña ad personam Sargent & Krahn

Mr Luiz Edgard Montaury Pimenta

ad personam

Montaury Pimenta Machado & Vieira de Mello
Mr Dámaso Pardo ad personam Bruchou & Funes de Rioja

Mr Carlos R. Olarte

ad personam

OlarteMoure & Asociados

Mr Kiyoshi Tsuru

ad personam

TMI Abogados

WP/Q Africa/Middle-East: List of members

Mr Rowan Joseph

FICPI

Von Seidels

Mr Marco Vatta

SAIIPL

Spoor & Fisher

Mr Yousef Al-Abdallat

ad personam 

University of Jordan

Mr Mohammad Al Masri

ad personam 

SABA IP

Ms Salem Al-Zahrani

ad personam 

ARAMCO

Mr Abdelhaq Ammani

ad personam

Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research

Mr Karim Chaieb

ad personam

Hachaichi & Co.

Mr Mohamed El Harzli

ad personam

Centre Universitaire d’Innovation et de Transfert de Technologie (CUIT), University Abdelmalek Essaâdi

Mr Mohamed Gueblaoui

ad personam

Cabinet Mohamed Gueblaoui

Mr Pedro Macaba Nobre

ad personam

Instituto Superior Politécnico Metropolitans de Angola

Mr Mondher Al Mensi

ad personam

Al Mensi & Associés

Mr Chinedum Ogonna Mgbemena

ad personam

Federal University of Petroleum Resources

Mr Mardson McQuay

ad personam

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
SACEPO Working Party on Rules (WP/R)

The SACEPO Working Party on Rules is generating input from user representatives regarding proposals for changes to the legal framework of the EPC, including in particular its Implementing Regulations.

It is composed of 13 experts in the field of patent prosecution nominated by user associations or selected as ad personam members by the President of the EPO.

Topics recently covered include oral proceedings via video-conference, adapting the legal framework to support the digital transformation, further streamlining opposition proceedings, online filing and Convergence of Practice.

List of members

Mr Francis Leyder

BUSINESSEUROPE

Zephyra

Mr Heiko Sendrowski

BUSINESSEUROPE

BASF

Mr Leo Steenbeek

BUSINESSEUROPE

Philips International

Ms Anette Hegner

epi

Plougmann Vingtoft

Mr Chris Mercer

epi

Carpmaels & Ransford

Mr Martin Wilming

epi

Hepp Wenger Ryffel

Mr Heiko Dumlich

AIPPI

Lab14

Mr Henning Lütjens

FEMIPI

Bayer Intellectual Property

Mr Antonio Pizzoli

FICPI

Notarbartolo & Gervasi

Mr Fabian Edlund

UNION-IP

Lind Edlund Kenamets Intellectual Property

Ms Cyra Nargolwalla

ad personam

Plasseraud IP
Mr Gwilym Roberts ad personam Kilburn & Strode

Mr Scott Roberts

ad personam

British Telecom
SACEPO Working Party on Guidelines (WP/G)

The SACEPO Working Party on Guidelines is the bi-annual consultative forum for the annual revisions of Guidelines for Examination in the EPO (EPC Guidelines) and of the Guidelines for Search and Examination at the EPO as PCT Authority (PCT-EPO Guidelines)

It is composed of 15 experts in the field of patent prosecution nominated by user associations or selected as ad personam members by the President of the EPO.

Within the annual revision cycle for the EPC and PCT-EPO Guidelines, SACEPO Working Party on Guidelines has a well-established role to play: each revision cycle starts with a public online consultation on the latest version of the Guidelines; feed-back from this consultation is discussed at the spring meeting of the Working Party; only thereafter are updates to the Guidelines drafted by the EPO which undergo an internal consultation and approval process as a next step. The resulting revisions are then reviewed by Working Party members over the summer and confirmed at the second meeting in autumn.

List of members

Mr Richie Paul

BUSINESSEUROPE

Alkermes Pharma

Mr Boris Prehofer

BUSINESSEUROPE

Siemens Österreich

Mr Heiko Sendrowski

BUSINESSEUROPE

BASF

Ms Anette Hegner

epi

Plougmann Vingtoft

Mr Manolis Samuelides

epi

Samuelides IP

Mr Roel van Woudenberg

epi

DeltaPatents

Ms Xiaoling Duan

AIPPI

Wanhuida IP

Ms Manuela Loidl

FEMIPI

Redl Life Science
Ms Jordi Kox FICPI Exter Polak & Charlouis B.V. (EP&C)

Ms Joana Santos

UNION-IP

 

Ms Brigitte Carion-Taravella

ad personam

Sanofi
Mr Luís Ferreira ad personam Patentree

Mr Felix Hermann

ad personam

Boehmert & Boehmert
Mr Matthew Hitching ad personam Canon

Mr Mike J Jennings

ad personam

AA Thornton
SACEPO Working Party on e-Patent-Process (WP/ePP)

The SACEPO Working Party on e-Patent Process is the annual dedicated user forum accompanying the EPO's efforts in achieving Goal 2 of SP2023 of digital transformation.

It is composed of 25 experts in the field of patent prosecution nominated by user associations or selected as ad personam members by the President of the EPO.

Main topics of the meetings include the ongoing digital transformation of the patent granting process and the developments in online services such as MyEPO Portfolio, Online Filing and Central Fee Payment. Other aspects discussed recently is the MyEPO roadmap showing when the planned decommissioning dates for the legacy online services, as well the legal changes supporting the use of digital services.

Feedback from the members is used to further enhance the quality of our digital products and services.

List of members

Ms Karine Berthier

BUSINESSEUROPE

Nokia Networks

Mr Poul de Haan

BUSINESSEUROPE

Philips International

Mr Ulrich Harbach

epi

2K Patentanwälte

Mr Chris Mercer

epi

Carpmaels & Ransford

Ms Ann DeClerq  

AIPPI

De Clercq & Partners

Ms Essi Pösö 

EPIPA

Berggren

Mr Matthew Fletcher

FICPI

Abel & Imray

Mr Simone Mangini

FICPI

Studio Torta

Mr Florian Malescha 

UNION-IP 

SKM-IP Part

Mr Hans Mertens

UNION-IP

Exter Polak & Charlouis (EP&C)

Mr Iván Sempere

ASIPI

PADIMA

Ms Rie Kawai

JPAA

Olive International Patent Office

Mr Masaharu Konoue

JPAA

Regatta IP

Mr Pilsung Jun

KPAA

Hyunmoon Patent & IP law firm

Mr Sanghwan (Sam) Park

KPAA

EZ International Patent&Trademark Law Office

Mr ChangHan Ryu 

KINPA

Hyundai Motors Group/Hyundai Autoever

Mr Michael Lee 

PPAC

China Mobile Group Design Institute

Mr Zhiqiang Qiang

PPAC

BOE Technology Group

Mr Joseph Shipley

US Bar-EPO Liaison Council

Fitch, Even, Tabin & Flannery

Mr Rainer Böckelen

ad personam

TBK

Mr David Brophy

ad personam

FRKelly

Mr John Gray 

ad personam

John Gray IP

Mr Michael Liebetanz

ad personam

Isler & Pedrazzini AG

Ms Dolinda de Proost

ad personam

AOMB Intellectual Property

Ms Magali Touroude Pereira

ad personam

Touroude & Associates
SACEPO Working Party on Patent Documentation and Information (WP/PDI)

This Working Party is composed of experts from patent documentation centres and libraries, experts from industry, and patent attorneys. The group meets once a year, providing members with updates on the EPO's products, services, and future projects in the field of patent information.

List of members

Mr Francis Hagel

BUSINESSEUROPE

CEA

Mr Dimitris Kouzelis

BUSINESSEUROPE

Intel-Lex

Mr Arndt Mecke

BUSINESSEUROPE

Siemens

Ms Birgitta Gassner

epi

Redl Life Science

Mr Francis Leyder

epi

Zephyra

Mr Paolo Provvisionato

epi

Provvisionato & Co

Mr Kai Klein

FICPI

Bals & Vogel

Mr Daniel Jarrett

CUNION-IP

Kilburn & Strode

Ms Monika Bruckmann

PDG

Evonik Industries

Mr Torsten Gerber

PDG

Bosch

Ms Maike Houtrouw

PDG

Philips

Ms Bettina de Jong

PDG

Shell

Mr Philippe Bodart

CEPIUG

Total

Ms Margit Höhne

CEPIUG

patentGate

Mr Guido Moradei

CEPIUG

Quaestio Patent Attorneys

Ms Katja Sørensen 

CEPIUG

Plougmann & Vingtoft

Ms Hannah Sophia

CEPIUG

Siemens

Mr Gerard Ypma 

CEPIUG

ASML Netherlands

Mr José Ricardo Aguilar 

ad personam

Instituto Pedro Nunes

Ms Marta Barba

ad personam

FRACTUS

Mr Marcell Kereszty

ad personam

Gödölle, Kékes, Mészáros & Szabó

Ms Arne Krüger

ad personam

Moving Targets Consulting

Ms Hanna Laurén

ad personam

Laine IP

Ms Valérie Miebach 

ad personam

IFP Energies nouvelles