EPO User Day 2025

Join us on 23–24 September for EPO User Day to get the latest updates on our online services, live panel discussions, expert Q&A sessions, and interactive hands-on workshops.
What’s new this year?
We’re introducing dedicated sessions for SMEs and micro-entities, focusing on how patents can support growth and innovation. You’ll also learn how to connect with investors, start-ups, and research partners using the EPO’s Deep Tech Finder (DTF) – our smart tool for exploring technology landscapes.
This year’s User Day will be hosted in English, with AI-powered interpretation available in German and French.
Event details
Programme
- Tuesday, 23 September 2025
10.00 - 10.10 hrs Welcome to User Day 2025
António Campinos, President, European Patent Office
10.10 - 10.45 hrs Quality as a shared effort between the EPO and the user community
Learn how quality is continually being improved at the EPO through a variety of initiatives.
This session will cover quality topics such as:
- Channels for user feedback and dialogue (e.g. SQAPs, SACEPO WP/Q)
- Transparency: the quality dashboard, Quality Report and Quality Action Plan
- Search and written opinion e.g. impact of active search divisions
- Examination e.g. harmonisation actions, shared area
- Opposition e.g. learning from BoA outcomes
- The use of AI tools by the EPO and users in the drafting of patent documents (e.g. the pilot for drafting minutes for oral procedures)
Moderator:
Robert Rankin, Administrator in Directorate Quality Management, European Patent OfficeRoberto Vacca, Director Quality Management, European Patent Office
Angelique Iyer-Baldew, Director for Oppositions, European Patent Office
Enrica Bruno, Founder and Partner of S+B Intellectual Property Law, EPO-qualified US Patent AttorneyBreakout sessions in parallel
SMEs, micro-entities, universities 10.45 - 11.20 hrs Why patents matter for SMEs
This panel discussion with SMEs explores the important role patents play in accelerating growth and funding.
Peter Albrecht, Principal Advisor in lead of SME Outreach Programme, European Patent Office
Abdelkrim Benamar, CEO, Powerup technology
Peter Holme Jensen, European Inventor Award winner 2014, CEO, Cambiotics11.20 - 12.00 hrs How to leverage your innovation playing field
Join this session to:
- Learn how to navigate Europe’s deep tech ecosystem and discover investors, startups and universities using the EPO’s Deep Tech Finder (DTF)
- Learn how SMEs and startups can use the Deep Tech Finder to connect with potential investors, find partners in other startups, or identify universities working in their field of interest
- Get to know the new DTF App
Yann Ménière, Chief Economist, European Patent Office
Roland Feinäugle, Patent Analytics, European Patent OfficePatent attorneys / paralegals 10.45 - 11.45 hrs Latest developments to MyEPO
MyEPO provides a comprehensive suite of services that make it easy for patent applicants, opponents or representatives to do business online during the patent grant process.
EPO experts will explain the latest MyEPO features released in recent months as well as the roadmap for upcoming developments.
Christina ten Hövel, Key Account Manager and Patent Administration Expert, European Patent Office
Kieran Donnelly, Business Partner, European Patent Office
Marek Bury, Managing Partner and European Patent Attorney, Bury & Bury11.45 - 12.00 hrs Status of Front Office at National Patent Offices
As the transition from the legacy online filing software (eOLF) to the new Front Office system continues, users can look forward to a more streamlined and efficient patent filing experience. The presentation will offer insights into the main functionalities of Front Office, its current status and the eOLF decommissioning process.
Paul Tubbing, Head of Department for IT Cooperation Implementation Support, European Patent Office
12.00 – 14.00 hrs Lunch break Breakout sessions in parallel
SMEs, micro-entities, universities 14.00 - 14.30 hrs Discover your innovation advantage with Espacenet
This session includes a:
- Demonstration on how to use Espacenet to search and analyse worldwide patent information
- Explanation of how SMEs can leverage Espacenet for a competitive advantage and innovation tracking
- Audience Q&A
Vesna Vajsbaher, Patent Information Tools, European Patent Office
Johannes Schaaf, Patent Analytics, European Patent Office14.30 - 15.00 hrs The EPO’s fee reduction programme for micro-entities and SMEs
This session will cover:
Cost-saving measures for European SMEs
Strategies for cost-effective patent filing for efficient patent maintenance
Audience Q&A
Vera Burianek, IP Lab lawyer, European Patent Office
Patent attorneys / paralegals 14.00 - 15.00 hrs Receiving documents electronically from the EPO
This session for new users covers how to set up MyEPO Mailbox and start receiving EPO communications electronically.
Eimer Luck, Key Account Manager, European Patent Office
Roberta Andreatta, Key Account Manager, European Patent Office
Patrick Lammering, European Patent Attorney, CLAAS Group15.00 - 15.30 hrs Interacting with examiners through the shared area
Learn more about MyEPO’s shared area and how to get the most out of this feature which enables you to upload, edit and annotate documents during a live consultation with an examiner.
Olivier Roche, Patent Examiner, European Patent Office
Eve-Marie Mayer-Martin, Director Patent Granting Process, European Patent Office15.30 - 16.00 hrs Legal Interactive Platform
In this practical demonstration of the Legal Interactive Platform, learn about its coverage, usage and limitations, together with best practices for getting the most out of this powerful tool for exploring patent law and procedures.
Kieran Donnelly, Business Partner, European Patent Office
Rachel Free, Partner, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLPPatent attorney, US patent attorneys and agents 15.00 - 16.00 hrs PCT Link
International agents involved in the international phase of the PCT have the option to receive EPO communications electronically through their MyEPO Mailbox by setting up a PCT Link. Examples of such communications include the international search report and the written opinion.
This session is an opportunity to learn more about this service and its benefits.
Elke von Brevern, Expert Patent Filing Process and PCT Affairs, European Patent Office
Richard Garvey, Key Account Manager, European Patent Office- Wednesday, 24 September 2025
10.00 - 10.05 hrs Welcome to Day 2
Event moderator10.05 - 10.30 hrs The growing popularity of the Unitary Patent
Since its launch in June 2023, demand for the Unitary Patent has exceeded expectations. Hear analysis from the EPO on the emerging trends in uptake for Unitary Patents, as well as from patentees as they share their experiences with adapting their business strategies to make the most of this new right.
Moderator:
Jeremy Philpott, Administrator Content Creation Directorate, European Patent OfficeCamille-Rémy Bogliolo, Head of Unitary Patent Division, European Patent Office
Krishna Chellapilla, Head of Patents, Prosecution & Copyrights, Tata Consultancy Services
Taichi Higashikawa, General Manager, Patent Attorney, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Breakout sessions in parallel
Patent attorneys / paralegals 10.30 - 11.30 hrs Update on formal requirements EP procedure and the implications for online services
In this session, experts will share examples of best practices for using filing services, with a focus on the latest developments and the changes to procedures and tools which are helping to enhance quality. They will also cover the digitalisation of the refunds process.
Moderator:
Richard Schiettekatte, Customer Services Expert, European Patent OfficeChristina ten Hövel, Key Account Manager and Patent Administration Expert, European Patent Office
10.30 - 11.30 hrs Sending your applications electronically to the EPO
This session for new users offers an introduction on how to set up and begin benefiting from the Online Filing 2.0 service.
It also includes a demo of the following forms:
- EP 1001: Request for grant of a European patent
- 1038: Letter accompanying subsequently filed items
Martin Adu, Key Account Manager, European Patent Office
Roberta Andreatta, Key Account Manager, European Patent Office
Verena Keil, Head of Patent Paralegal Services, DSM-Firmenich11.30 - 12.30 hrs Managing user access in your MyEPO services portfolio
This session is of particular interest to company administrators, patent attorneys and IP support staff.
It covers how to best manage the user rights of online services such as:
- MyEPO
- Online Filing 2.0
- Central Fee Payment
Learn tips and tricks, plus the steps to be followed when someone joins or leaves your company.
Richard Garvey, Key Account Manager, European Patent Office
Eimer Luck, Key Account Manager, European Patent OfficeSMEs, micro-entities, universities 11.30 - 12.30 hrs Training and support for SMEs, micro-entities and universities
This session includes:
- An overview of the free support provided by the EPO and other sources such as PATLIB centres and National Patent Offices
- How to leverage these resources to align with SME growth strategies and business goals
- The specific role PATLIB centres play
- The added value of patent attorneys
Lisa McDonald-Maier, Lead of Knowledge Transfer to Africa initiative, European Patent Office
Thomas Bereuter, European Patent Academy, European Patent Office12:30 - 12:40 hrs Wrap-up
Steve Rowan, Vice-President Patent Granting Process, European Patent Office
Speakers and panellists
- Speakers and panellists
Abdelkrim Benamar
Alexis Dagostino
Alexis has 10 years of IP experience and started at SLW as a docketing clerk in 2014. Alexis handles transfer-in projects for both patents and trademarks, maintains the backup database at SLW and trains new colleagues within the docketing department.Angélique Iyer-Baldew
Angelique is a Director for Oppositions in the EPO’s Patent Granting Process directorate, covering the area of health, materials and production. She holds a PhD in chemistry and worked as a European patent attorney prior to joining the EPO.Camille-Rémy Bogliolo
Camille has led the Unitary Patent Division since the launch of the Unitary Patent in 2023. Previously, he has worked extensively in Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) legal matters, first at WIPO between 2001 and 2005, and then at the EPO since 2006. Camille holds a degree from Sciences Po and a Master of Laws from the University of Maastricht.Christina ten Hövel
Since joining the EPO in 2003, Christina has worked as an expert in patent grant procedures and has provided training to internal and external audiences. As a Key Account Manager, since 2015 she has supported EPO users with online tools and services. She has also contributed to various projects, notably the technical implementation of the Unitary Patent.Eimer Luck
Eimer joined the EPO in 1992. For ten years, she promoted and supported the use of EPO digital tools and services. Her main area of expertise became assisting users with accessing the EPO Mailbox. Open to a new challenge, she became an instructor for the EPO formalities community where she focused on patent grant procedures during four years. In July 2022, Eimer assumed the role of Key Account Manager.Elke von Brevern
Elke joined the EPO in 2008 as an online filing application manager, working on projects which included online filing tools for the PCT. In 2015 she joined the PCT Affairs department as an expert, where she co-ordinates and legally supports the implementation of PCT-related projects at the EPO.Enrica Bruno
Eve-Marie Mayer-Martin
Eve-Marie is Director in Operations responsible for the end-to-end patent grant process in area of medical technology. After graduating in physics at the Technical University of Munich in 1997, she became a European patent attorney and worked for several years in the Siemens’s patent department. She joined the EPO in 2001 as a patent examiner and was appointed Director in 2013.Jeremy Philpott
Jeremy joined the EPO twenty years ago. He co-ordinates several EPO communication campaigns, which include the annual Patent Index and numerous aspects of the patent grant process and Unitary Patent. He promotes the studies, platforms and tools developed by the Observatory on Patents and Technology. He also conceived and developed the EPO’s New to patents webpage, which contains basic introductory information for inventors, startups and SMEs.Johannes Schaaf
Johannes holds an MBA and a master's degree in physics. He worked as an engineer and innovation consultant in the corporate technology unit at Siemens and led their community of practice innovation management. He was an examiner in the area of laser technology at the German Patent and Trademark Office. In 2005, he joined the European Patent Office in Vienna and now works in the Chief Economist Unit on Espacenet, patent analytics, PATSTAT, IPscore and technology insight reports.Kieran Donnelly
Kieran is a business partner at the EPO, driving digital transformation through MyEPO services for applicants, opponents and representatives. Since 2014, he has drawn on extensive business and IT consulting experience to modernise workflows and strengthen online user engagement.Krishna Chellapilla
Krishna has around 20 years of experience in various aspects of intellectual property rights and currently heads IP filing and prosecution services at TCS. His primary responsibility is to create and protect TCS’s IP and his specialisation includes handling patent prosecution across jurisdictions and attending oral proceedings and examiner interviews. Prior to joining TCS in 2011, he headed an Indian law firm and was engaged with a US-based law firm as an IP attorney.Lisa McDonald-Maier
Lisa joined the EPO in 1992. Over the years she has been heavily involved in trainings and the PATLIB Network, as well as acting as the application manager and user representative for Espacenet. From 2013 to 2023, Lisa headed the unit of user support co-ordination and tools for patent information products and services. She was responsible for the training and continued development offerings of the PATLIB 2.0 project, and in November 2022 she took up the lead in the Knowledge Transfer to Africa initiative.Martin Adu
Martin is an experienced trainer who has worked in e-services at the EPO since the early days of online filing software in 2000. He has since worked as brand manager, software application manager and a customer support expert. Three years ago, he joined the Key Account Managers to strengthen the team in supporting EPO users with online tools and services.Olivier Roche
Olivier has worked at the EPO since 2000, started in The Hague before moving to the Munich office in 2005. He is an examiner in the dentistry field of orthodontics, implants and electric toothbrushes. As a manager, he oversees the reorganisation and development of classification in his unit and works as a quality nominee, reviewing and assessing the quality of classification in the unit done by the EPO and USPTO.Patrick Lammering
Patrick is a European patent attorney with the CLAAS Group, a manufacturer and distributor of agricultural machinery. He holds degrees in mechanical engineering from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the Technical University of Munich. After gaining some years of experience at a patent law firm in Munich, Patrick joined CLAAS, where he advises business units on intellectual property matters and actively contributes to the digitalisation of their IP department.Paul Tubbing
Paul has worked with the EPO since 2001, focusing primarily on co-operation activities with National Patent Offices and IP entities. He played a significant role in the inception of the IT Cooperation Programme in 2019 and continues to contribute to the programme.Peter Albrecht
Peter joined the EPO in 2018 and has held various senior roles in the Patent Granting Process unit. In his current role he serves as Principal Advisor in the lead of the SME Outreach Programme focused on establishing strong engagement with micro-entities and SMEs, as well as with universities and public research organisations. He began his career in the food industry and previously served as CEO of a medical technology startup. Following the company’s acquisition, he became head of its Corporate Research and Technology group in Europe, leading the front-end innovation process's global efforts. In 2015 Peter joined the Mölnlycke Healthcare as Global Vice President R&D. He holds a Master of Science from the University of Vienna and an MBA in Technology Management from the Technical University RWTH in Aachen.Peter Holme Jensen
Rachel Free
Rachel is a European patent attorney at international law firm CMS, based in London. She has a background in AI and works with the CMS team of 35 patent attorneys to help clients protect technologies.Richard Garvey
Richard joined the EPO in 1998. His main responsibility is to facilitate streamlined interaction between the EPO and its users. He complemented his legal studies with a Master's in IT and telecommunications law, which is useful in his role collecting user feedback on the next generation of EPO tools.Richard Schiettekatte
Richard joined the EPO in 2003 as an events manager in the Online Services area. He co-ordinates and supports the implementation of activities in both the Key Account Management and Customer Services units.Robert Rankin
Robert is an administrator in the EPO’s Quality Management directorate. He began his career at the EPO as an examiner, working in the areas of galenics, vaccines and immunology. In his current position, he has undertaken many tasks including quality metrics and analysis, international co-operation, user outreach and communication on quality matters both internally and externally.Roberta Andreatta
Roberta joined the EPO in 2001 and has been a Key Account Manager since 2017, primarily covering Italy, Germany and France. In this role she monitors and promotes technical progress in the EPO's online services and supports users in their implementation.Roberto Vacca
Roberto is Director Quality Management in the Patent Granting Process directorate. Before moving to his present position, he managed a directorate of about 130 examiners and formalities officers in the area of Automotive Engineering. He has extensive experience as an examiner in various mechanical fields, has led technical co-operation with China for four years and has actively taken part in several quality projects, such as the working group on Strategic Quality and the pilot for Collaborative Quality Improvements. Before joining the EPO, he graduated in nuclear engineering at the Polytechnic School of Turin and worked in the aerospace industry.Roland Feinäugle
Since 2024, Roland has managed the Patent Analytics department in the EPO’s Chief Economist Unit. The unit processes and analyses data, provides insights into the data and makes it publicly available in user-friendly formats such as reports and technology platforms. Prior to this, he managed several departmental units in the EPO including data transformation and awareness, marketing and business of patent information and patent information training.He holds a physics doctorate in space sensor technologies and a post-graduate degree in law. He worked for more than three years at the German and European Space Agency before joining the EPO in 2002.Taichi Higashikawa
Taichi is the General Manager of MHI Head Office’s IP department, overseeing IP strategy for all global business units. From 2023 to 2024, he served as Director of MHI EMEA Ltd. in London, focusing on IP practices in Europe.He studied at Munich Intellectual Property Law Center in 2009 as a part of his LL.M. study at George Washington University Law School. He has been a registered member of the Japan Patent Attorneys Association since 2004.
Thomas Bereuter
Thomas is a Certified Licensing Professional with over 25 years of experience in the international commercialisation of early-stage technologies. He has founded and supported several high-tech startups and university spin-offs and was one of the driving forces behind the business incubation and technology transfer wave in Austria in the early 2000s.Steve Rowan
Steve joined the EPO in 2019 as Vice President of the Patent Granting Process directorate and as site manager for The Hague. After graduating with a law degree in the UK, he helped steer IP policy issues in government and has served on several executive boards.Vera Burianek
Vera deals range of patent law and patent litigation-related subjects, with an emphasis on the EPO’s recently adopted new fee policy and legal aspects related to the EPO’s Convergence of Practice programme. Vera graduated from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and University of California at Berkeley with a specialisation in law and technology. Her previous professional experience includes working as an attorney-at-law focusing on patent litigation and licensing. She contributes to patent law commentaries and periodicals on a regular basis and acts as legal member in opposition proceedings before the EPO.Verena Keil
With 19 years of IP experience in both IP law firms and corporate IP, Verena is internationally recognised for her deep knowledge of global IP management. She joined DSM in 2022 as Head of IP Support and transitioned to Head of Patent Paralegal Services at DSM-Firmenich following a merger, a role in which she has been responsible for aligning processes between the two international teams. Her expertise includes over 10 years at Continental where she held several leadership roles in global IP support. Her international experience extends to the APAC region, where she has established and supported IP paralegal teams and processes in China and Singapore.Vesna Vajsbaher
Vesna joined the EPO in 2004. She now works in the EPO’s Patent Information Tools team and offers expert consultation and user support onselecting and using the EPO’s patent information data, bulk datasets and services, as well as on the tools available to external users. She is the EPO business application owner of Espacenet and has hosted numerous workshops and trainings for internal and external users of all levels.Yann Ménière
Yann joined the EPO as Chief Economist in 2016. He leads a team responsible for the preparation of economic studies, patent analytics and digital tools within the EPO Observatory on Patents and Technology. Yann was previously a professor of economics at Université Paris Sciences et Lettres where he led the chair on IP and Markets for Technology. He has many years of academic and field experience in issues relating to the economics of patents, innovation, technological change and economic growth.Zhakalazky Carrion
After finishing law school and passing the bar exam in 2004, Zhakalazky joined SLW in 2005. Since 2013, Zhakalazky has managed a team of ten in the docketing department that deals with a variety of transferred-in applications.
More information
Will be provided in due course