EPO President meets French Minister Delegate for European Affairs

The French and EPO delegation meeting at the EPO headquarters in Munich, from left to right: Antoine Starcky, Chef de mission de l'Allemagne de la Direction de l’Union européenne du Ministère de l’Europe et des affaires étrangères, Pierre Clouet, Consul général adjoint de France à Munich, Alexandre Vulic, Consul général de France à Munich, Benjamin Haddad, Ministre délégué auprès du Premier ministre et du ministre de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères, António Campinos, EPO President, Gilles Requena, Chief Patent Research and Policies Officer, Claire Thirriot-Kwant, Ministre-Conseillère pour les affaires économiques et Cheffe du Service Economique Régional (SER) de l’Ambassade de France à Berlin, Telmo Vilela, Principal Advisor to the EPO President, Alessia Volpe, Head of Co-operation with Member States and Neighbouring Countries and Delphine Roux-Decker, patent examiner.

European Patent Office President António Campinos welcomes French Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Benjamin Haddad to the EPO for a meeting to present the organisation and discuss current European affairs and IP related topics.

On 30 November, European Patent Office (EPO) President António Campinos welcomed Benjamin Haddad, the French Minister Delegate for European Affairs, for an engaging and collaborative meeting at the EPO headquarters in Munich. The Minister's first official visit to the EPO underscored the importance of intellectual property (IP) and patents as central pillars for driving innovation and competitiveness in Europe.

Cutting edge expertise and innovation tools 

During the visit, the EPO provided an in-depth presentation of the Office's mission, expertise and services as the patent granting authority for Europe. A highlight of the visit was a live demonstration of Ansera, the EPO’s search tool, which facilitates rapid analysis of huge numbers of documents, based on search strategies indicated by the patent examiner. The demonstration showed how the tool leverages advanced analytics and how artificial intelligence assists examiners in navigating complex innovation landscapes.

The President and the Minister also discussed the importance of data-driven policy-making, supported by the work of the EPO’s Observatory on Patents and Technology, a referenced virtual platform that encourages multidisciplinary study and debate on future trends in innovation, involving a wide range of players, from scientists to the general public.

The topic of commercialisation and financing of innovation was also high on the agenda. The importance of strengthening clusters of co-operation in Europe between universities, research centres and companies, including SMEs, was also discussed. To increase transparency and facilitate partnerships, the EPO presented the latest developments in the Deep Tech Finder, a benchmark digital tool to help potential investors identify and evaluate start-ups that are bringing revolutionary inventions to market in key technology areas.

Updates on the Unitary Patent system

Discussions also touched on the increasing uptake of the Unitary Patent, which offers inventors a cost-effective and streamlined route to securing patent protection across multiple jurisdictions in Europe’s single technology market. Both parties acknowledged the potential of the Unitary Patent system to reduce administrative burdens and enhance Europe’s innovation ecosystem.

Dialogue on European innovation policies

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the broader European innovation landscape, including the implications of the Draghi report on the future of European competitiveness, which highlights the importance of making IP systems even more accessible and cost-effective. The report specifically encourages all EU member states to join the Unitary Patent system, to achieve the full potential of the Single Market. The Minister and President Campinos reaffirmed the crucial connection between patents and innovation, especially when it comes to their role in accelerating technological progress and addressing global challenges.

Strengthening partnerships for the future 

President Campinos emphasised the importance of a unified, accessible and legally sound patent system in Europe to drive sustainable growth and technological leadership, saying "A unified patent system aligns with one of Europe’s greatest challenges and opportunities: creating scale for innovation to thrive and driving our sustainable development. It’s not simply about increasing efficiency or cutting costs, it’s a strategic necessity for Europe to compete globally and lead in critical technological areas."

The Minister expressed gratitude for the comprehensive insights offered during the visit and pledged continued support for the EPO’s mission. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advancing the role of IP and patents in shaping the future of innovation in Europe.