EPO President highlights role of intellectual property in sustainable development at Expo 2025

EPO President Campinos participating in a panel discussion at Expo 2025 with representatives of WIPO, JPO, CNIPA, MOIP (Republic of Korea) and IBM Research

On a recent visit to Japan, EPO President António Campinos reaffirmed the EPO’s commitment to international co-operation, sustainable innovation and an inclusive global patent system.

The visit combined participation in the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, high-level meetings with Japanese counterparts and stakeholders, and exchanges with global partners on the future of intellectual property (IP).

As part of the Expo programme, President Campinos took part in the International Forums on the Promotion of Intellectual Property Utilisation for the SDGs. Organised by the Japan Patent Office (JPO) in co-operation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and other partners, the forums showcased how patents can help address social and environmental challenges in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In his opening, President Campinos highlighted the EPO’s role in supporting innovation that benefits society: “If our patent systems aren’t accessible to the full diversity of people, we risk leaving human needs unmet.”

Roundtable discussions brought together representatives of WIPO, JPO, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the Korean Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP, formerly KIPO) and the EPO, alongside innovators and experts. Participants explored strategies to close gender and generational gaps, and shared initiatives for building a more sustainable, future-oriented IP ecosystem.

Participating in a panel on women and youth, President Campinos underlined the need for greater inclusion: “The patent system cannot be a fortress for the few because innovation and inclusion are not separate goals – they are one and the same. New ideas and inventions require new perspectives. To reach a sustainable future for innovation we need to understand barriers, act to remove them, and inspire every individual to see themselves as part of the solution.”

Strengthening co-operation with JPO

In bilateral talks with JPO Commissioner Kasai Yasuyuki, President Campinos discussed the EPO’s priorities in quality, timeliness and digital transformation, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in patent examination under the EPO’s Strategic Plan 2028. The two offices agreed to extend their successful co-operation by renewing the Memorandum of Cooperation, first signed in 2019, until 2027. President Campinos also outlined the early success of the Unitary Patent system, underlining its advantages for European industry and its potential as a model for strengthening the global patent framework.

Dialogue with Japanese stakeholders

President Campinos also met with leading Japanese stakeholders, including the Japan Intellectual Property Association (JIPA), the Japan Patent Attorneys Association (JPAA) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). Discussions focused on the Strategic Plan 2028, recent filing trends and the EPO’s new AI policy. The EPO also presented the Unitary Patent as a fast, cost-effective route to the European market that combines legal certainty with efficiency, particularly valuable for small and medium-sized enterprises.