EPO meets with Arkema

As part of its Quality Action Plan initiative to deepen dialogue with users, the European Patent Office (EPO) held a virtual high-level meeting with the French company Arkema, a global leader in advanced materials.

Arkema ranks among France’s top ten applicants at the EPO, which the company frequently uses as an International Searching Authority (ISA) under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). Arkema’s delegation, led by Anne-Sophie Schaefer (Head of Intellectual Property) and Armand Ajdari (Chief Technology Officer), welcomed the exchanges with the EPO and praised the Office’s dedicated approach to stakeholder engagement. Ms Schaefer said in a video interview recorded after the meeting:

“We were really pleased to have this open and constructive dialogue with the EPO. It's an amazing opportunity to share feedback and definitely reinforced our confidence in the EPO's commitment to maintain high quality patent examination.”

Strategic vision and leveraging of AI to meet applicants’ needs

Steve Rowan, EPO Vice-President Patent Granting Process, presented the EPO’s strategic vision, with a focus on the five drivers of the Strategic Plan 2028. He placed particular emphasis on quality, sustainability, outreach to applicants around the world and the benefits of the Unitary Patent.

Following a presentation of the EPO’s AI-driven tools, including for machine translation, file allocation and pre-search, the Arkema delegation expressed strong interest in how the EPO is leveraging AI to meet applicants’ needs. Arkema delegates also shared the company’s focus on aligning its patents with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting that the vast majority of its portfolio relates to at least one SDG. A follow-up meeting was proposed to explore notably how AI-powered tools can further support faster and more consistent patent procedures.

About Arkema

Arkema is a leading French company dedicated to specialty materials structured into three coherent and complementary segments: adhesives, advanced materials and coatings. It operates in 55 countries and employs 21 150 people. In 2024, the company reported a €9.5 billion turnover and invested more than €250 million in research and development. Sectors in which Arkema is active include green energy and electric mobility, efficient buildings and homes, sustainable lifestyle and goods, advanced electronics, health and well-being.