Enhancing international co-operation in Geneva

From 7 to 9 July in Geneva, European Patent Office (EPO) President António Campinos led the EPO delegation at this year’s World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assembly. This yearly meeting with the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO provides a platform for dialogue and enables patent offices to align views on a global patent system that supports innovation and sustainability. On the sidelines of these gatherings, President Campinos held over 20 meetings with patent offices and other stakeholders from around the world.

Enhancing global co-operation and partnerships

President Campinos held bilateral meetings with national offices including Egypt, Kuwait, Madagascar, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, China, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Australia and New Zealand, as well as with the International Trademark Association (INTA).

Outcomes of the meetings include the conclusion of the first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and work plan with Madagascar, setting the foundation to promote national capacity. Bilateral work plans were also signed with IP Australia, reinforcing the pilot programme that enables Australian applicants to designate the EPO as ISA/IPEA, and with Peru, broadening the re-use of EPO search and examination work products. These strategic agreements aim to make the global patent system more efficient, responsive to user needs and broadly accessible, while supporting quality and legal certainty. 

During his meetings, President Campinos promoted recent developments in the European patent system, including the Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court, the accession of former validation state Moldova to the European Patent Convention and the recent signing of the validation agreement with Angola. He also highlighted the EPO's ongoing IT modernisation and AI-led transformation, which are enhancing efficiency, quality and user experience across the patent granting process. The recent studies by the EPO Observatory were also showcased, highlighting the contribution of the European patent system to the European and worldwide innovation ecosystems.

About the WIPO Assemblies 

The WIPO Assemblies are the annual meetings of the General Assembly, Coordination Committee and other policy and decision-making bodies of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s 194 member states. This year’s meetings were again held in a hybrid format, bringing together delegates to discuss recent developments and the future direction of the global IP system.