EPO President meets with Ibero-American IPOs

On Wednesday 15 July the President of the EPO, António Campinos, met with the Heads of the Ibero-American intellectual property offices. The virtual meeting replaced the annual EPO-IMPI joint event usually held in Geneva in the fringes of the WIPO General Assemblies. This year 22 offices participated, including two EPO Member States; Spain and Portugal, and the DG-elect of WIPO, Mr Daren Tang.

The participants discussed the different measures that their Offices have put in place to support their users in combatting the difficulties caused by coronavirus and the way their cooperation has contributed. For example, the platform ‘Fighting coronavirus', provides a wealth of patent information on technologies which are useful in combating the virus or treating the disease it causes, and includes data from Ibero-American offices. There was also an exchange on the digitalisation process undertaken by offices during the Pandemic. The meeting also presented the Offices with an opportunity to assess opportunities for strengthening their work together in the coming year.

Speaking at the meeting on the two subjects of the COVID-19 Pandemic and on the benefits of cooperation, the EPO President said, ‘We need to find joint solutions to our common problems. Covid-19 is transforming all areas of society including IP, and our responses to it will define tomorrow's reality'.

The meeting also included an exchange with Daren Tang, Director General elect of WIPO, who will assume Office on October 1 2020, following his election earlier this year in May.