EPO and AIPLA strengthen ties at annual meeting in Munich

Christoph Ernst, EPO Vice-President Legal and International Affairs (middle) with the EPO and AIPLA delegation

On 16 June, the European Patent Office (EPO) welcomed a high-level delegation from the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) to its headquarters in Munich for their annual bilateral meeting. The event, chaired by EPO Vice-President Legal and International Affairs Christoph Ernst, continued the long-standing tradition of close collaboration between the EPO and key user associations from the United States.

Strengthening dialogue and quality

In his opening remarks, Mr Ernst underlined the EPO’s commitment to fostering open dialogue with users, emphasising how user feedback directly contributes to improved quality, streamlined procedures and a more resilient patent system. He presented the EPO Quality Action Plan, which was well received by the AIPLA delegation, as well as recent trends in patent filings, noting the continued strong presence of US applicants at the EPO and the growing uptake of the Unitary Patent, including by US-based companies.

Mr Ernst also highlighted the EPO’s responsible and transparent use of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance quality and efficiency, informing the delegation about the EPO’s recently adopted AI policy. The policy establishes a clear framework that supports automation and informed decision-making with an ethical and human-centric approach.

AIPLA interview gives insight into latest developments and priorities

During the meeting, the AIPLA delegation shared recent developments in the US intellectual property landscape, providing valuable context for ongoing co-operation and mutual understanding. In a video interview recorded during the visit, Chair of AIPLA IP Practice in Europe Committee Ryan Pool provided further insights into the association’s current priorities, the uptake of the Unitary Patent by US applicants and broader shifts in the US intellectual property system.

Other topics in focus

AIPLA delegates welcomed the transparent exchange on the role of the description in patent interpretation, which included an in-depth update from the EPO on the pending G 1/24 referral before the Enlarged Board of Appeal.

Digital transformation was also in focus, with the EPO outlining the upcoming third basket of legal changes aimed at achieving a fully paperless patent granting process by 2027. Participants were briefed on new rules, electronic-only MyEPO procedures and the ongoing user consultation process.

Further discussions covered the EPO’s efforts regarding the international convergence of practice and the recent EPO study on the relationship between standards and patents, including insights into standard essential patent litigation trends and the role of the Unified Patent Court.