EPO meets with Leonardo
On 14 July, the European Patent Office (EPO) held an online meeting with Leonardo SpA, an Italian multinational company in aerospace, defence and security. The exchange formed part of the EPO’s ongoing dialogue with large applicants under Quality Action Plan 2026 and its User Engagement Programme.
This was the 17th meeting held between the EPO and a large applicant in 2026, and the 123rd meeting since the programme was launched in 2021.
The Leonardo delegation was led by IP Manager Pierpaolo Gambini and included representatives from Italy and the United Kingdom. The EPO delegation was headed by Niclas Morey, Principal Director of Communication, and brought together directors, team managers and a senior expert from the technical areas relevant to Leonardo’s patent applications as well as additional EPO experts.
Discussions covered the EPO’s strategic vision under Strategic Plan 2028 (SP2028), with a particular focus on quality, partnerships, geographic coverage, tools and technologies. Further topics included the Unitary Patent system, the activities of the EPO Observatory and the patenting of artificial intelligence-related inventions, demonstrating the breadth of the EPO’s activities and their relevance in a rapidly evolving innovation landscape.
During the meeting, Leonardo’s strong procedural performance and consistently high-quality patent applications were highlighted, underlining the importance of quality at source as well as in the examination process. Leonardo expressed interest in evaluating a mixed protection model combining the Unitary Patent with selected national validations, reflecting the system's growing uptake.
This constructive exchange provided an opportunity to share insights on best practices and reinforce mutual commitment to quality in the European patent system. The meeting concluded with positive feedback from the Leonardo delegation who described the exchange as a valuable opportunity for dialogue.
About Leonardo SpA
Leonardo SpA is headquartered in Rome, Italy and is a global leader in aerospace, defence and security, delivering advanced, interconnected technologies. It is the largest defence contractor in the European Union in terms of defence revenue. The company employs some 62 000 employees in more than 20 countries.
