Strengthening co-operation with our partners in Sweden and Finland

This week an EPO delegation led by President António Campinos visited Sweden and Finland for meetings with representatives of government, national IP offices and patent system users

A delegation of the European Patent Office led by EPO President António Campinos visited two Nordic member states this week for a series of meetings with national patent offices, government officials, and stakeholders. The meetings aimed to advance bilateral co-operation with a view to supporting innovation and strengthening Europe’s competitiveness.

On 16 and 17 June, European Patent Office (EPO) President António Campinos visited Sweden and Finland to meet with government officials, heads of the national intellectual property (IP) offices and patent system users. Discussions centred on how to better support innovation and jointly address challenges related to Europe’s global competitiveness.

In 2024, Sweden ranked second and Finland third in terms of patent applications at the EPO per million inhabitants. This strong performance reflects their dynamic innovation ecosystems, supported by high-quality education systems, advanced digital infrastructure, and thriving R&D and startup sectors.

Major contributions to the European Patent Network

In Sweden, President Campinos met with Sara Modig, State Secretary to the Minister for Energy, Business and Industry, as well as representatives from Swedish industry, IP bodies, academia and staff of the Swedish Intellectual Property Office (PRV). Mr Campinos provided updates on key developments at the EPO and highlighted PRV’s strong contributions to the European Patent Network. Under this co-operation, PRV recently adopted a state-of-the-art system for searching patent applications, based on the EPO’s Ansera search tool, and just launched its modern and adaptable front-office system for online filing.

In Finland, the EPO President met with the newly appointed Minister of Economic Affairs, Sakari Puisto, to discuss the strategic role of patents for economic growth and trade. At a roundtable discussion organised by the Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH), and attended by representatives of leading patent applicants, IP firms and national IP associations, President Campinos praised Finland’s contribution to the development of technologies driving digital communication and clean energy solutions.

Topics covered during meetings with stakeholders included digitalisation, the role of AI in EPO operations, recent developments in patent law, quality in the patent granting process, standard-essential patents, IP education, and co-operation with the Institute of Professional Representatives before the EPO (epi).

During the meetings, Mr Campinos emphasised the EPO’s role in supporting innovation and strengthening European competitiveness through a firm commitment to high-quality patents and services: “We are investing in partnerships, studies, and smarter tools – tools that turn complex patent information into clear business intelligence for companies, researchers and policymakers. These efforts help guide resources, talent, and investment to where they are most needed, even in the earliest stages of R&D. And the Finnish and Swedish patent offices have been invaluable partners in this endeavour.”

Joint efforts to strengthen the European patent system

Mr Campinos also held bilateral meetings with the heads of the Swedish and Finnish national IP offices, PRV Director General Anna Jardfelt and PRH Director General Antti Riivari, to discuss ongoing collaboration under the EPO’s Strategic Plan 2028. New agreements signed in recent months pave the way for a broad range of joint activities including outreach to startups, harmonisation of practices, IT co-operation, support for the PATLIB network of public information centres and participation in projects of the EPO Observatory on Patents and Technology.

At the heart of these efforts is a shared commitment to strengthening the European patent system, improving the quality of services and making patent protection more accessible to our users – particularly small entities and underrepresented groups.