42nd annual Trilateral Conference

Representatives of the European Patent Office, the Japan Patent Office and the United States Patent and Trademark Office at the 42^nd annual Trilateral Conference

Trilateral Offices collaborate to advance UNSDG 9 and awareness of IP management

The Trilateral Offices — the European Patent Office (EPO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO), and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) — convened for their 42nd annual Trilateral Conference on 14 October in Tokyo, Japan. The meeting, co-hosted by JPO Commissioner, Yota Ono and JIPA President, Yamanaka Akitoshi, focused on collaborative strategies for achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9, “Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation." The discussions centred on IP intelligence, how to enhance the strategic use of IP for business growth and the important role each Office plays in granting high-quality patents. 

The Commissioner was joined by EPO President, António Campinos and Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and USPTO Director, Kathi Vidal. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) also participated in the meeting as an observer, with Deputy Director General Lisa Jorgenson in attendance. Representatives from the user associations of the Trilateral regions (IT3), namely BusinessEurope, the Japan Intellectual Property Association (JIPA), the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the Intellectual Property Owners Association (AIPLA/IPO), also attended part of the conference as part of their ongoing dialogue with the Trilateral Offices on SDG 9 and other matters of mutual interest. 

Enhancing quality and supporting micro-entities 

Key discussions focused on sharing successful initiatives from each Office and identifying opportunities for further collaboration on SDG 9, with the aim of further supporting SMEs and startups. Particular emphasis was placed on how the Offices will continue to provide the necessary resources to enhance users' awareness and understanding of how to leverage intellectual property (IP) to formulate their business strategies. These exchanges also examined how the Trilateral Offices will continue to enhance the quality of their services and patent examination through a shared understanding of what constitutes a high-quality patent. These collective efforts reflect the widespread impact that co-ordinated action can have in shaping a sustainable future for all.  

The Offices also discussed potential objectives of Trilateral Co-operation, with a view to developing a work plan in the future. 

“To tackle today's challenges, we need to leverage the full potential of every technology at our disposal. Harnessing the power of invention means empowering every idea to reach the market — because a sustainable future is within reach when all inventors, from every corner, can shape it. Our focus this year on SDG 9 reflects our commitment as a Trilateral community to ensuring SMEs and start-ups have wide access to the IP tools and resources they need to grow.”

EPO President António Campinos

The Trilateral Conference was held in conjunction with the “IP and Technology Transfer: Challenges and Successes with the Collaboration Framework among Academia-Industry-IP Offices” international symposium in Tokyo on 15 October. During the sessions the heads of the Trilateral Offices, along with representatives from IT3 and WIPO, discussed diverse types of intellectual property management such as technology transfer between universities and industry, as well as the deployment of academic technology through startups.