Governance and Financial sustainability
Sound governance is vital for a sustainable organisation. It is our duty to continuously strengthen the Office’s internal and external governance, accountability and transparency. This is central to our long-term sustainability and our ability to continue having a positive impact on society for generations to come, as is our financial sustainability.
Financial sustainability
Our governance framework ensures that our finances are sustainable. As a self-funded organisation, this is of the utmost importance. Our financial sustainability is a prerequisite for the future of the EPO and directly related to our ability to have a positive impact on the patent system and society. Under Strategic Plan 2028, and its dedicated driver we will safeguard the EPO’s financial sustainability in uncertain times by monitoring the coverage of our liabilities and implementing measures to improve this coverage.
Governance
The European Patent Organisation is an intergovernmental organisation set up based on the European Patent Convention (EPC). It has two bodies, the European Patent Office, and the Administrative Council. The European Patent Office is the executive arm of the European Patent Organisation and offers inventors a uniform application procedure which enables them to seek patent protection in up to 46 countries. The Office is supervised by the Administrative Council.
Administrative Council and subsidiary bodies
The Administrative Council acts as the Office's supervisory body and is composed of representatives of the Organisation’s member states.
The European Patent Organisation currently has 39 member states. Additionally, European patents are recognised in one European extension state and six validation states.
Decisions of the European Patent Office can be appealed to its Boards of Appeal. Though integrated in its organisational structure, the Boards of Appeal are independent of the Office in their decisions and are bound only by the European Patent Convention.
We are continuously improving our governance and transparency to ensure the efficient functioning of the EPO as trusted public service institution and to continue positively impacting the patent system. We monitor our progress regularly and report consistently so that our staff and stakeholders have a clear idea of how we are doing.
Strategic Plan Key Performance Indicators
A comprehensive set of key performance indicators (KPIs) continuously tracks our progress towards our objectives. We provide regular updates on our progress to both our governing bodies and the public through our Annual Review and in-depth reports covering key areas published on our Transparency portal.
Quality dashboard
The EPO’s Quality dashboard presents our key performance indicators (KPIs) on quality and is updated regularly to show the progress we make.
Read moreTransparency portal
Transparent public reporting provides a critical basis on which to implement a strategy that can help us set goals, measure performance, manage sustainability-related impacts and risks and better understand how we provide value for our stakeholders. Our Transparency portal is designed to provide stakeholders with streamlined and user-friendly access to extensive information about our operational procedures and sustainability initiatives.
Read moreOmbuds Office
The EPO Ombuds Office offers to our external partners an informal, confidential service to strengthen collaborative, effective working relationships that help ensure the predictability, consistency and value of the services the EPO delivers.
Data protection framework
Our data protection framework is aligned with the highest international standards and global best practices, receiving an EU adequacy decision in July 2025. It ensures transparency and the observance of fundamental rights to privacy and data protection. It also reinforces the Office's mission and values, which include treating all individuals with respect and duty of care.
Procurement framework
We have updated our procurement framework to include sustainable practices, taking responsibility for the products and services we procure.
Integrated management at the EPO
Our integrated management system (IMS) consolidates all of our organisation's systems and processes into one overall framework, enabling us to work more effectively as a single unit with unified objectives. The IMS is designed to foster a collaborative and holistic management approach, supporting a positive continuous improvement culture, underpinned by effective quality and risk management frameworks.
Our reporting
We report with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards*, which provide the benchmark for sustainability reporting globally. This commitment ensures that our sustainability disclosures are comprehensive, transparent and aligned with international best practices. Our reporting framework not only helps us measure, understand and communicate our sustainability impact. It also facilitates comparability and benchmarking with other organisations worldwide.
*The presence of the GRI logo reflects our adoption of GRI’s sustainability reporting guidelines and should not be interpreted as GRI’s certification or approval of our organisational practices.