EPO remains the "gold standard" for patent quality

Once again, users have voted the EPO number one among the world's five largest patent offices for the quality of its patents and services in the latest benchmarking survey by Intellectual Asset Management (IAM). The EPO has topped the survey in both categories ever since it began in 2010.

More than a quarter of respondents (26%) now rate our patents as "excellent", up from 23% last year and placing the EPO well ahead of the other IP5 offices. There is also a strong consensus among respondents that we are maintaining our high level of quality. Overall, more than 87% of respondents describe our service as "good", "very good" or "excellent", once again putting us well ahead of the other IP5 offices.

Moreover, "quality remains king for the EPO" (source: IAM). The EPO is the only office for which patent quality ranks as the top motivation for filing. In all other jurisdictions, it is the commercial importance of the local market. One respondent is quoted as saying: "The EPO has the edge due to better search, high quality examination and rules which enforce clarity."

This year's survey was conducted in September and October among several hundred IP professionals. Participants were asked about the EPO, Japan Patent Office (JPO), Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA).   

Further information

Quality Management at the EPO
EPO Quality Report 2020
IAM magazine, issue 106