EPO meets with CEA

The European Patent Office (EPO) recently held an online user meeting with the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA).

On 30 September, the EPO met with representatives of CEA, which had the most filings of all public research organisation (PRO) applicants at the EPO in 2024 and is a keen user of the Unitary Patent. The meeting is part of the EPO’s ongoing efforts to foster open dialogue with users, focusing on quality and the role of public research organisations in the European innovation ecosystem.

Fostering open dialogue through direct engagement with users

Steve Rowan, EPO Vice-President Patent Granting Process, opened the meeting. He presented the EPO’s strategic vision and provided an update on progress made under the Strategic Plan 2028, with a focus on investment in EPO staff, their training and tools, as well as digital transformation, quality and partnerships. He also emphasised the value of fostering open dialogue through direct engagement with users and spoke about the EPO’s Quality Action Plan, which is updated annually to reflect user feedback collected through a variety of channels.

Understanding how Europe’s PROs and their spin-offs shape the innovation ecosystem

Corinne Vedel, Head of Intellectual Property at CEA, then outlined her organisation’s current focus on health technology, nuclear deterrence and security, low carbon energy and the digital transition, as well as CEA’s mission to support industry through innovation.

​The meeting continued with EPO experts providing updates on a range of areas, including the EPO’s outreach programme to SMEs, universities and PROs, as well as topics such as quality, timeliness, fee reductions and tools like the Deep Tech Finder. The EPO Observatory was also a topic of conversation, most notably the launch of its new study on European PROs and innovation at an online event on 22 October. The participation of one of CEA’s spin-off companies in the EPO User Day 2025 panel session “Why patents matter for SMEs” was also highlighted.

The meeting concluded with CEA representatives welcoming further exchange and thanking the EPO for its user meeting initiative. ​

As a follow up, the EPO will conduct a video interview with Ms Vedel and publish the recording on its website.

About CEA

Created in 1945 with the initial aim of mastering the use of nuclear energy, CEA is now a major French and European research organisation focused on low-carbon energy (nuclear and renewable), digital technology, defence, national security and technology for medicines of the future. CEA has an annual budget of €6.4 billion and employs more than 22 100 staff. Over the past 15 years, the organisation has raised over €1 billion through CEA startups. Since 1972, it has launched more than 260 spin-offs in deep tech. CEA’s IP model underlines the importance of leveraging technology transfer and the organisation’s primary mission is to support industry through innovation.