Czech IPO marks 105th anniversary

The Industrial Property Office of the Czech Republic (IPO) commemorated its 105th anniversary on 10 September. The celebration was held as part of an international conference that explored the future of innovation and the protection of intellectual property in Europe. An EPO delegation attended the conference at the invitation of Mr Josef Kratochvíl, IPO President and Chair of the EPO Administrative Council. A number of distinguished guests also joined the celebrations, including the Czech Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Petr Očko, and the Deputy Minister of Science, Research and Innovation Jana Havlíková.

Responding to change

President Kratochvíl delivered a keynote speech during the conference, addressing challenges posed by emerging technologies like AI and robotics. He emphasised the need for the patent system to evolve and adapt, stressing the importance of ethical and legal frameworks in tackling these challenges. He also commended the EPO for its adaptability to technological advancements and for ensuring broad access to robust patent protection, paving the way for future innovation.

Celebrating 105 years of excellence

The EPO President António Campinos congratulated IPO on the milestone, recognising the contributions of its staff, the Czech government and citizens. He also addressed the future direction of intellectual property and the need for a patent system that is accessible to all inventors. “The EPO is working towards an inclusive and accessible patent system – one that harnesses the power of accessibility, digitalisation, democratisation and co-operation. One open to as many innovators as possible, including underrepresented parts of the patent system.”

The EPO President highlighted the importance of the Unitary Patent system and referred to the recent report from Mario Draghi “The future of European competitiveness”, where the former President of the European Central Bank and one of Europe's leading economic minds emphasises the significance of the Unitary Patent – calling on all EU Member States to join the system (so far 18 have done so).

Training the next generation of IP professionals

The Office’s Patent Academy participated in the panel “IP Education - the Key to Success”. The discussion provided an opportunity to present the EPO’s main initiatives aimed at inspiring and educating the next generation of innovators. These initiatives include the European Inventor Network, the Inspiring Inventors: Talk series, the Modular IP Education Framework and a soon to be launched educational project with member states targeted at children and youngsters.