News

Annual meeting held virtually over two days also saw stakeholders discuss EPO’s plans for the future

Today, 9 June 2021, the EPO issued an invitation via email to EPO smart card holders and users of the credit card payment service to take part in a survey on batch payments and future fee payment functionalities.

It also provides features for downloading or visualising the results for statistical analysis.

The EPO has launched its new online magazine Patent Knowledge News, which will feature news, updates and facts relating to patent knowledge from the EPO and beyond.

The SACEPO Working Party on Guidelines held its 21st meeting on 20 May.

CMS will be replaced by Online Filing 2.0

The conference marks the launch of the EPO’s PATLIB 2.0 project, aimed at increasing support to the network of over 300 patent information centres in Europe

In light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the EPO has decided to further extend the pilot project for conducting opposition hearings by VICO until 31 January 2022.

On 11 May 2021, 80 representatives of 40 national offices (in 38 EPO member states and two future member states) and the EUIPO met online for the 15th annual meeting on co-operation.

Users encouraged to become more familiar with the popular VICO platform before the autumn

The EPO today joins the regional representations of the European Parliament and European Commission in Munich in celebrating Europe Day.

Celebrating the individuals behind the inventions that benefit us all.

Yesterday, 27 April, EPO President António Campinos appeared as guest speaker at a virtual meeting of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce's Research and Innovation Committee.

President Campinos submits written observations on a referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal concerning the consent of parties to oral proceedings by videoconference.

The European Patent Office (EPO) has adopted a new environmental policy that outlines its plan to be carbon neutral by 2030.

The number of patents for inventions related to low-carbon energy technologies around the world grew by an average rate of 3.3% per year in the 2017-19 period, a new joint study published today by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows.

The EPO and intellectual property offices around the globe today celebrate World IP Day.

Over the past two weeks, about 140 schoolgirls have met with the EPO as part of Girls' Day in the Netherlands and Germany.

Last week the EPO introduced its art collection to the public by launching the new documentary titled "Exploring Art at the European Patent Office". With two digital events the Office now offers further insight on its art collection, and invites to an exchange with some of the artists portrayed in the documentary.

Over 2 100 participants from more than 900 companies registered for this year's User Day - the first digital edition, which took place on 19 and 20 April.

The public consultation on the first draft of the EPO’s “Towards a new normal” orientation document has closed. We thank everyone for their contributions.

A documentary invites the public to explore the EPO’s art collection which will also be made digitally accessible

President António Campinos addressed Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) on the latest developments in the European patent system on 12 April.

SACEPO Working Parties on Rules, e-Patent Process, and Patent Information and Documentation all met virtually in March.

The President of the European Patent Office (EPO), António Campinos, and the President of the ELLIS Society, Bernhard Schölkopf, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 25 March.

Online Filing 2.0 incorporates and improves the features of new online filing (CMS), and offers a more user-friendly interface.

The new vision statement of the Trilateral offices has been agreed, which originates from the 38th Trilateral Conference in December 2020. During the virtual conference, the heads of the European Patent Office (EPO), Japan Patent Office (JPO) and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) committed to jointly develop the new future direction for the Trilateral Co-operation.

New Article 15a of the Rules of Procedure of the Boards of Appeal (RPBA) on oral proceedings by videoconference enters into force on 1 April 2021

During the pendency of referral G 1/21 concerning the legality of oral proceedings by VICO, oral proceedings in examination and opposition will continue to be held by VICO as scheduled

Contribute to the EPO’s public consultation on the first draft of its “Towards a new normal” orientation document assessing how the EPO could develop in light of the dramatically altered environment.

Statistics published today by the European Patent Office (EPO) show that innovation in healthcare drove patenting activity in 2020: Medical technology was the leading field for inventions in terms of volume, while pharmaceuticals and biotechnology were the fastest-growing areas.

A new blueprint for IP5 Offices’ joint endeavours in response to the challenges and opportunities arising from new emerging technologies and artificial intelligence.

The European Inventor Award will take place on 17 June 2021 and for the first time in the history of the event, the ceremony will be entirely digital.

On Monday 15 March 2021, the EPO will begin activating a BOT protection system for the European Patent Register.

The Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office issued decision G 1/19 (Simulations) today in which it held that the established case law on computer-implemented inventions (COMVIK approach) applies to computer-implemented simulations.

The Office marked Monday's International Women's Day with a panel discussion highlighting women in science.

EPO successfully holds first-ever online edition of the European Qualifying Examination

EPO President António Campinos addressed a celebration gala today (1 March) to mark the 125th anniversary of the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (HIPO).

On 25 February, the EPO together with Licensing Executive Society International (LESI) held the first edition of a new online forum designed especially for high-growth technology businesses and small and medium-sized technology enterprises, the major drivers of Europe's economic growth.

You can submit your comments in any one of the EPO's three official languages via an online form. The deadline for your contributions is 12 April 2021.

EPO President António Campinos met the President of the National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil (INPI), Cláudio Vilar Furtado, on 25 February to discuss co-operation on enhancing the patent system and better supporting innovators in Europe and Brazil

EPO Academic Research Programme publishes five final research reports

The first two common practices - in the areas of examination of unity of invention, and designation of the inventor - were endorsed by member states at a meeting of the organisation's Administrative Council in December 2020.

EPO President António Campinos spoke about the importance of supporting innovation at the opening of a high-level online conference on IP held on the occasion of Portugal's EU Council Presidency.

EPO President António Campinos and the Director General of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), Juan Lozano, met virtually today to take stock of joint efforts to improve patent services and support innovators since the signing of an advanced co-operation agreement between the two offices last year.

The European Patent Office (EPO) and European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Technical University of Munich (TUM) on 4 February 2021 to offer TUM graduates the opportunity to gain valuable professional experience as trainees in both Offices.

A new study released today by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) shows that companies which own at least one patent, registered design or trade mark generate on average 20% higher revenues per employee than companies which do not own any of those intellectual property rights (IPRs).

The EPO and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) have announced that the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programme between the two offices became permanent on 6 January 2021.

The world's five largest IP offices granted 1.6 million patents in 2019, an increase of 5.9% on the previous year, according to the latest IP5 Statistics Report published earlier this week on the IP5 website.