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-operation, Unitary 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 Mr Patrick Krassén SMEunited 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 Takahiro Taniguchi JIPA Murata 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 Ms 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 Ms Marta Barba 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 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 Ms Misako Kato JIPA Panasonic Mr Kenji Hayashi JIPA Toppan Mr Jochen Kilchert UNION-IP Meissner Bolte Mr Simon Wright UNION-IP Schlich Ltd Mr Patrick Krassén SMEunited Ms Sieglinde Jabs EPIPA LM Patent Holding Ms Marta Barba 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 Aird & McBurney LP Mr Juan Pablo Egaña ad personam Sargent & Krahn Mr Luiz Edgard Montaury Pimenta ad personam Montaury Pimenta Machado & Vieira de Mello 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 NLP 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 Mr James G. Bell AIPLA Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP 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 Mr Philippe Bodart CEPIUG Ms Margit Höhne CEPIUG patentGate Mr Guido Moradei CEPIUG Quaestio Patent Attorneys Ms Katja Sørensen CEPIUG Plougmann & Vingtoft Ms Hannah Sophia CEPIUG 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