Launch of Search Pilot for National Offices
The EPO has recently launched on 13 October the pilot for the new Cooperation Search system, which will be used by over 100 examiners in 8 national offices over an initial period of six months. The pilot national offices of member states include the UK, France, Sweden, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark and Austria, with other offices either testing or intending to join later.
The tool is closely based on the EPO's modern ANSERA search system, in use since 2016, and aims to eventually replace the current EPOQUENET system used by member states since 1991.
The system will be hosted on the Cloud to enable scalability, and in order to offer users the latest advanced search technology available. The pilot will exclusively use data available to the public and is not expected to replace EPOQUENET in formal processes for some time.
It nevertheless represents a very significant step forward in terms of modernisation for patent office examiners.
The IT Cooperation Programme was launched under the EPO Strategic Plan 2023 and aims at equipping the member states of the EPO with modern IT tools that are co-created by a community of national experts, end users and international partners.