EPO and German government sign agreement paving the way for move to a new building in Berlin
Berlin/Munich, 21 November 2024 – The President of the European Patent Office (EPO) António Campinos and the State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Justice of Germany Angelika Schlunck today signed an amendment to the Seat Agreement. This enables the envisaged move of the EPO’s Berlin sub-office to its new premises in the heart of Germany’s capital. Moreover, the new text of the Agreement has been streamlined and simplified.
The amended Seat Agreement was signed at the office building at Alexanderplatz, which has been selected as the new premises for the EPO in Berlin.
“The EPO has a rich history in Berlin and today’s signing ceremony reaffirms our commitment to the city and to Germany,” said EPO President Campinos. “The smooth co-operation between the EPO and the German authorities reflects the strong relationship we have fostered in the last 50 years, and we are delighted to open a new chapter together today.”
State Secretary Schlunck said: “Berlin is one of the most dynamic cities in Europe, attracting innovative talent from all over the world. The European Patent Office is an integral part of this environment. It is therefore fitting that the EPO’s Berlin office is now becoming more modern, more sustainable and better equipped for the future. We look forward to continuing our joint work.”
The EPO, headquartered in Munich, has had an office in Berlin since 1978, located in a historic building of the former German Imperial Patent Office in Gitschiner Straße in the Kreuzberg district.
Last year, in agreement with its host country and the other member states, the EPO decided to move its Berlin office to new premises to provide a state-of-the-art work environment for its staff, and a modern and sustainable office space.
The new building was selected for meeting all of the Office’s workspace requirements and its central location, and for its eco-friendly features which will contribute to the EPO’s goal of becoming a carbon neutral organisation by 2030. The EPO will rent two floors of the building. The move is planned for early 2025.
The EPO currently employs some 200 staff in Berlin, most of whom work as patent examiners or in patent procedure support.
Media contacts European Patent Office
Luis Berenguer Giménez
Principal Director Communication / EPO spokesperson
EPO press desk
press@epo.org
About the EPO
With 6 300 staff members, the European Patent Office (EPO) is one of the largest public service institutions in Europe. Headquartered in Munich with offices in Berlin, Brussels, The Hague and Vienna, the EPO was founded with the aim of strengthening co-operation on patents in Europe. Through the EPO's centralised patent granting procedure, inventors are able to obtain high-quality patent protection in up to 45 countries, covering a market of some 700 million people. The EPO is also the world's leading authority in patent information and patent searching.
About the EPO in Berlin
The EPO opened its Berlin office on 1 June 1978, only shortly after the opening of its Munich headquarters. At the time the presence of an international organisation with a clear commitment to competition and the market economy was a strong symbol in a divided city. Today the EPO employs some 200 staff at its Berlin site, most of whom work as patent examiners or in patent procedure support. Experts in their technology fields, patent examiners search and examine patent applications, and deal with oppositions to granted patents. EPO staff in Berlin come from 20 different European countries, and speak the three official languages (English, French and German).