The EPO provides high-quality patents and efficient services that foster innovation, competitiveness and economic growth.

Searching for patents

Is your invention really new? Or are you looking for an existing technical solution?

European Patent Register European Publication Server Espacenet patent search

Boards of Appeal

News

Read plain language explanations, discover free tools, check if a patent is right for your innovation and find out if you are ready to apply for one.

New simpler system saves time and costs. 

Events

Event
Litigation Matters key visual
Dec
5  -  6
Online
Free
Events
Unitary patent/Unified Patent Court
Registration open

Videos

Video
06:02
English
Highlights
Official 50 Years EPC celebration
EPC
Celebrations
Video
01:32:10
English
Boosting startups with IP
Inaugural Observatory event discusses startup finance
Observatory
Video
02:06
English
Introducing the new website
Based on your feedback, we have redesigned epo.org to be easier to use, more transparent and greener.
Digital transformation
Video
01:00
English
European Inventor Award 2023
Watch the highlights - and some behind the scenes footage - from the award ceremony in Valencia.
European Inventor Award

Quality – our commitment to excellence

Challenging ourselves to achieve even higher levels of quality

Get to know the EPO!

The latest figures and patenting trends from the EPO, including data downloads and country-specific profiles.

Photo of the EPO's building in The Hague

Gain insight into our operations and decision-making processes.

Sustainability will be the focal point of the new Strategic Plan 2028.

We quantify and explore trends and challenges across the innovation ecosystem.