EPO publishes results of latest User Satisfaction Survey

The European Patent Office (EPO) has published the results of its biennial User Satisfaction Surveys (USS) for 2022/2023. The latest round of independent surveys indicates high satisfaction levels with the EPO's core services - search, examination and opposition. Seven surveys were carried out between September 2022 and April 2023 by an independent external research company, covering the end-to-end patent granting process (PGP) and our support services. 

Close to 7 000 respondents participated, the highest number since the surveys began. The surveys target users who have experience of the relevant service during the last 12 months. As such, they provide valuable, direct and up-to-date feedback on the satisfaction of our users with our key services. Areas where improvement is needed will now be incorporated into the EPO's Quality Action Plan. 

The importance of surveys 

User consultation is essential as it helps the EPO align its quality initiatives with users' needs. While qualitative feedback is gathered through channels such as meetings with user associations and via our website, surveys provide quantitative, anonymous feedback. They offer a representative view of satisfaction levels across a broad spectrum of users.