EPO and OECD sign Memorandum of Understanding
OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann and EPO President António Campinos
The European Patent Office (EPO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have agreed on a renewed framework for co-operation through the signature of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marked by a meeting in Paris today between EPO President António Campinos and OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann.
The EPO and the OECD have a long-standing collaboration focussed on patent statistics and innovation analysis. At a hybrid event in Paris on 17 December, which attracted over 1 500 viewers online with sixty participants on site, at which they launched their joint study on quantum technologies, the two organisations agreed on a renewed framework to strengthen their co-operation. Their shared ambition is to produce high-quality resources on patenting and technological trends, delivering actionable insights that support innovation ecosystems and inform robust science, technology and innovation policies. This vision is fully aligned with the mission and activities of the EPO’s Observatory on Patents and Technology.
President Campinos underlined the importance of the renewed partnership, noting the strong complementarity between the EPO and OECD in terms of analytical capabilities and policy expertise. He also highlighted both organisations' shared priorities in supporting innovation ecosystems, including the diffusion of emerging technologies and raising awareness of the role of patents in economic development.
Opening a new chapter in EPO-OECD relations
This renewed partnership is essential to capturing the richness and complexity of emerging technologies. It builds on the strengths of both organisations, combining the EPO’s patent intelligence with the OECD’s economic indicators. The agreement paves the way for the development of new methodological approaches, and joint analytical work in areas of mutual interest, including emerging technologies, innovation financing and startup ecosystems.
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