New Candidate Support Programme builds stronger patent profession across Europe
On 31 October 2025, the European Patent Office (EPO) hosted the inaugural event of the new Candidate Support Programme (CSP) at its Munich headquarters. The CSP provides selected candidates with financial assistance, coaching, and training to prepare for the European Qualifying Examination (EQE).
Forty-five candidates from 21 member states attended the event, where the EPO highlighted the CSP as a cornerstone initiative of its Strategic Plan 2028. The programme plays a key role in promoting gender balance in the patent profession, with women accounting for 82% of this year’s participants. By fostering a diverse and well-prepared pool of EQE-qualified practitioners, the CSP strengthens quality at source in the European patent system.
The event marked the launch of the new CSP cycle, which extends the programme’s reach focusing on gender and quality criteria. From 2026, the CSP will also further expand its support to candidates preparing for the European Patent Administration Certification (EPAC).
How the CSP strengthens the patent community and broadens access to the profession
The strong EPO-epi co-operation on the programme was also showcased during the event. The programme enables experienced epi members to serve as CSP coaches, with 13 epi members from ten different countries participating in this way during the coming year. Current CSP beneficiaries also commit to supporting future candidates.
The CSP is a fully digital programme implemented in co-operation with national patent offices, ensuring flexibility and accessibility for candidates across member states.
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