Joint statement by Michael McGrath, European Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection, and António Campinos, President of the European Patent Office

On the occasion of the adoption by the European Commission of its adequacy decision concerning the European Patent Organisation, Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection, and António Campinos, President of the European Patent Office (EPO), have issued the following statement:

“Today the European Union found that the European Patent Organisation  provides a level of data protection equivalent to that provided by the European Union. This is the first time that the European Union has adopted an adequacy decision relating to an International Organisation. It is a testament to the robustness of the European Patent Organisation’s data protection rules and to the crucial role the Organisation plays, not just for our economy, but also for our quality of life.

From now on, innovative companies and public entities in the European Union will be able to transfer data to the European Patent Organisation freely, without having to go through additional administrative safeguards. The decision will support the digital transformation of the patent granting process, helping to ensure smooth and fast digital interactions with all stakeholders. This will make a real difference for entrepreneurs, researchers, national intellectual property offices and inventors across the European Union. Innovative companies will be able to bring their ideas to the market more quickly and create new jobs and opportunities. This means making new technologies available faster, including in areas such as clean energy, to help us tackle the many challenges we face.

Innovation is the pulse of competitiveness, and patents foster and protect innovation. Every year, the European Patent Office receives almost 200 000 patent applications. With today’s adequacy decision, we are therefore taking a significant step for Europe's companies.

Further, by ensuring the highest standards of protection for personal data, we can strengthen trust and confidence in the patent system, which is a significant driver of growth and innovation. We look forward to continuing the excellent co-operation between the European Commission and the European Patent Organisation for a more prosperous and competitive Europe.”

Further information

Adequacy Decisions

Media contacts European Patent Office

Luis Berenguer Giménez 
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EPO press desk
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