https://www.epo.org/en/about-us/transparency-portal/general/annual-review-2024/driver-4

Key achievements: Driver 4

Partnerships

Strengthen European co-operation

In 2024, we continued to collaborate with the members of the European Patent Network (EPN) under the established co-operation framework: IT co-operation; co-operation projects to enhance knowledge and quality; co-operation projects aimed at work-sharing; and co-operation projects to promote the convergence of practices by patent offices.

The 18th Annual Meeting on Co-operation took place in Vilnius in May. Following the discussions, and with the input of the TOSC, the catalogue of co-operation projects was reviewed and expanded to define new projects tailored to the diverse needs of member states.

Figure 19 – 18th Annual Meeting on Co-operation with EPO member states in Vilnius, Lithuania

 

On 11 October, the European Patent Organisation formally invited Bosnia and Herzegovina to accede to the EPC. With Montenegro's recent accession, and the ongoing work to prepare Moldova's, the number of EPC contracting states will soon reach 41.

In December, the EPO signed a working agreement on search co-operation with Portugal, and the AC approved the conclusion of three agreements with Ireland, Montenegro and Switzerland. The legal and technical implementation of these agreements, planned for summer 2025, will bring to 21 the number of countries engaged in search co-operation with the EPO. Overall, in 2024, the Office carried out 27 000 national searches on behalf of its EPN partners – a 4% increase over 2023.

Also within the framework of the European Patent Network, both the seconded national expert (SNE) programme and the secondment of EPO Young Professionals to national patent offices continued in full force, fostering valuable knowledge exchange within the network. Finally, to ensure we continue to engage in co-operation in the most effective manner, the governance of the TOSC was modernised with an updated mandate and working arrangements.

Pursue convergence of practices

A second cycle of the convergence of practice programme was launched in 2023, and the two first topics in this cycle – "allowable features in drawings" and "electronic priority documents" – concluded in early 2024. Work throughout the year focused on "observations by third parties" and "practices concerning assignment". A new convergence dashboard was launched to report on the implementation of agreed common practices at national and EPO level.

As part of the new SP2028 co-operation catalogue, exploratory work began on extending the convergence programme to practices on administrative topics, such as data protection, D&I and talent management.

Internationally, the EPO continued to work with its global partners on substantive patent law harmonisation (SPLH), and made progress towards building a consensus on a common European approach reflecting a balanced package. In May, the EPO hosted a Colloquium on SPLH with user associations and patent offices worldwide. In the second half of the year, a case law study on prior user rights was conducted, with the conclusions published in 2025.

Enhance support to SMEs and small entities

In April 2024, a revised fee policy came into effect with the aim of facilitating access to patent protection for under-represented stakeholders, specifically micro-entities. By the end of 2024, over 5 000 applications had benefitted from the new support measures, resulting in additional savings of EUR 3.3 million for small-scale innovators.

Figure 20 – Support to SMEs and small entities

 

Figure 21 – SP2028 European co-operation pipeline

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Enhance IT co-operation

The IT co-operation pipeline aims to drive the digital transformation of the IP landscape in collaboration with key partners and stakeholders. The pipeline focuses on enhancing digital tools, decommissioning legacy systems and fostering interoperability across various platforms:

  • First NPO completed the switch to ANSERA-based SEARCH (AbS): In February 2024, the Estonian Patent Office became the first NPO to switch to using the AbS tool exclusively. Since then, 14 countries have followed. At the end of 2024, AbS was live across 32 EPC states, with more than 1 800 active examiners.
  • Delivery of Front Office version 2.1: By the end of 2024, 10 countries had begun, and five countries had completed, implementation of Front Office, with over 38 000 filings received across various IP rights.
  • Proof of concept for workflow/process manager: The Digital Toolkit has introduced modular "bricks" to integrate IP filing and grant processes, benefiting from various cloud infrastructures. A proof of concept demonstrated how different modules could be connected to implement business processes.
  • New services on the Single Access Portal: We revamped the website, deployed a new registration tool for participants at AC meetings, and piloted a reimbursement service for delegations.

Figure 22 – SP2028 IT co-operation pipeline

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International co-operation, legal developments and the Unitary Patent

The Unitary Patent: driver of innovation and competitiveness

After the launch of the Unitary Patent on 1 June 2023, there is significant and growing interest in the new system. The EPO registered over 28 000 Unitary Patents in 2024: more than one quarter of all granted European patents obtained unitary effect. Uptake among European applicants has been even higher, exceeding 36% in 2024.

Figure 23 – Evolution of Unitary Patent requests 2023-2024

 

The Unitary Patent Dashboard, launched by the EPO in July 2023 and updated daily, has been widely praised by stakeholders for its transparency and its role in communicating the status and evolution of the Unitary Patent system and its users. In March 2024, the dashboard was upgraded with additional information, including the profile and geographical distribution of proprietors as well as uptake by country. Work also started on a new, more interactive version to be launched in Spring 2025.

MyEPO users can now register transfers of rights and licences free of charge or request certified copies of Unitary Patent certificates or extracts from the Unitary Patent Register, which continues to provide enhanced transparency for the public.

Romania's accession to the UPC Agreement on 1 September 2024 marked the beginning of a second generation of Unitary Patents, which now cover 18 participating member states. The growing geographical coverage of the Unitary Patent, with more countries expected to join the system, ensures that European innovators have access to a broader market without incurring additional costs.

Figure 24 - Romania became the 18th state to join the Unitary Patent system on 1 September 2024

 

In November 2024 the EPO published an updated edition of the Unitary Patent Guide, with new information on early requests for unitary effect, Romania's accession and the launch of the second generation of Unitary Patents. In parallel, and in close consultation with users, both online and through meetings of its advisory bodies, the EPO developed the first-ever set of Unitary Patent Guidelines, which were pre-published in early 2025. These provide comprehensive guidance on practices and procedures related to Unitary Patent proceedings before the EPO.

Legal developments: toward certainty, accessibility and digitalisation

A fully digital PGP is a priority in SP2028. In support of this, the EPO continued to pursue a wide spectrum of legal changes aimed at simplification and digitalisation. The second basket of these measures, initiated at the end of 2023, saw numerous developments in 2024, including: the abolition of fax as a means of filing; streamlined handling of signatures; self-service of bulk requests via MyEPO; and the discontinuation of the postal dispatch to applicants of printed copies of patent literature. The necessary changes to the EPC Implementing Regulations entered into force on 1 April 2024, and the remaining measures of the second basket are on track for full implementation in 2025. Work started on defining a third basket to be implemented in 2025-2027.

Every February, the EPO publishes a new edition of the EPC and PCT-EPO Guidelines, which are developed in consultation with users and give instructions on the practices and procedures to be followed in the examination of European and international applications and patents. In 2024, the user consultation was expanded with a small survey on the revision process itself, and the outcome discussed with the members of the SACEPO Working Party on Guidelines. This paved the way for improvements in the preparation of the 2025 edition, including the consolidation of the Guides into the Guidelines and the move of the entry into force date to beginning of April, which also increases predictability for EQE candidates.

Figure 25 – Annual revision cycle for the Guidelines

 

In June, the EU published a 14th package of sanctions against Russia, including measures regarding IPRs. Subsequently, and following consultations between the Office and the European Commission, the AC and its Select Committee adopted amendments to the EPC Implementing Regulations and the Rules relating to Unitary Patent Protection. The amendments ensure that, as long as the EU sanctions remain in place, Russian applicants cannot obtain Unitary Patents, nor validate European patents in EU Member States.

In December, the Office presented for the adoption of the AC a legislative proposal for gender-neutral Implementing Regulations to the EPC. The amended rules entered into force in April 2025.

International co-operation: projecting the European patent system beyond our borders

Validation extends the geographical scope of European patents to countries around the world, supporting international trade and investment, technology transfer and innovation, while reinforcing the EPO's position as the international patent office of choice for applicants with a global filing strategy. 2024 began with the validation agreement with Georgia coming into force in mid-January. In May, Lao PDR became the sixth state to sign a validation agreement with the European Patent Organisation and it was followed by Costa Rica in December. The AC also authorised the start of formal validation negotiations with Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and Djibouti, while efforts continued towards reaching an agreement with Ethiopia.

Figures 26 and 27 – Signature of validation agreements with Lao People's Democratic Republic and Costa Rica

 

Figure 28 – Potential geographical coverage of European patents as of 1 April 2025

 

Strong co-operation continued with all seven validation offices (Morocco, Tunisia, the Republic of Moldova, Cambodia, Georgia, Laos and Costa Rica), as well as the 13 offices with which we have a reinforced partnership in place.

New agreements were also secured regarding the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH). Pilots with Chile and New Zealand were launched in June and December, respectively, and the existing agreement with Brazil was extended for a second five-year period. Toward the end of the year, negotiations with Bahrain paved the way for the launch of a further PPH pilot in early 2025. At the end of 2024, the EPO had 17 active PPH agreements with national and regional offices worldwide.

The agenda for multilateral co-operation in 2024 focused on sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the 17th meeting of the IP5 Heads of Office, hosted by KIPO in Seoul, the Offices reaffirmed their commitment to an inclusive and accessible IP system, especially through initiatives and policies to support SMEs, micro-entities and start-ups.

On a similar note, the 42nd Trilateral Conference took place in October 2024 in Tokyo, Japan, focusing on IP initiatives for sustainable industrialisation (SDG 9). Discussions addressed SME patent strategies, digital tools and innovation policy.

Since December 2020, the EPO has been acting as an ISA for nationals and residents of the People's Republic of China. As part of this pilot, applicants can select the EPO as their ISA when filing PCT applications in English with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). As of 1 December 2024, users of the EPO-CNIPA PCT pilot project can pay the international search fee directly at CNIPA in local currency (Renminbi), making fee payments easier and the pilot more attractive for applicants. In 2024, the EPO acted as ISA for 1 314 such applications, up 20% from 2023.

In May, WIPO hosted a Diplomatic Conference on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge. It concluded with the signature of a new international treaty, which introduces a mandatory disclosure requirement for patent applicants whose claimed inventions are based on genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge. The EPO attended as observer, and provided support to EPC contracting states before, during and after the conference.

The EPO also conducted a joint comparative study on the national patent laws and procedures of Southeast Asian nations, focused on computer-implemented inventions, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. The outcome was formally endorsed by the ASEAN Working Group on IP Co-operation in May 2025. 

In classification, more than 77 million patent documents are classified in the CPC for the benefit of users worldwide. Currently, 38 IP offices and organisations are in the CPC, including 23 EPC states. As of late 2023, users can benefit from the CPC text categoriser, an AI-powered tool which suggests CPC symbols within a fraction of a second following free text input in English, French or German.

Figure 29 – SP2028 International co-operation, legal development and Unitary Patent pipeline

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Increase skills and knowledge

The European Patent Academy: IP training of excellence

The European Patent Academy provides a comprehensive training and educational programme on patents and patent-related fields. The Academy's guiding principles are co-operation, quality, accessibility and modularity.

In 2024, the Academy expanded its training reach and engagement, delivering 145 training activities with almost 1 500 hours of learning. Live training, primarily conducted online, attracted 26 602 registrations. Additionally, the e-learning centre recorded 23 574 registered active users – a 25.7% increase from 2023 – demonstrating the growing demand for flexible digital learning. EPO member states account for 87% of training participants and 59% of e-learning centre users.

Figure 30 – Participation in the Academy's live online trainings in 2024

 

Familiar fixtures in the EPO calendar include the annual Opposition Matters and Litigation Matters conferences, as well as the European Judges' Forum, all of which were again organised in 2024.

Figure 31 – European Judges' Forum 2024

 

The Academy Catalogue provided a basis for customised training to NPO staff. For example, over 850 staff members from 28 NPOs received hands-on training in the use of the AbS tool, tailored to their level, and another 631 followed the open AbS course on the e-learning centre. The iLearn Together Day in October brought together NPOs and EPO staff to share insights and best practices on topics of common interest to NPOs and EPO examiners.

To address diverse learning needs and ensure wider access to quality IP education for the new generations, the EPO Academy partners with universities in member states to provide scalable courses through the Modular Intellectual Property Education Framework (MIPEF). In 2024, some 1 300 students from 40 European universities followed the two MIPEF courses, of three months each, successfully integrating patent education into university paths.

Figure 32 – Universities participating in the Modular Intellectual Property Education Framework in 2024 (MIPEF)

 

The Academy launched a new "Patenting Innovation" course, accredited by the Alliance of Technology Transfer Professionals and recognised towards the Registered Technology Transfer Professional qualification. A broadly encompassing and certified technology transfer learning offer is also now available to PATLIB members.

The PATLIB network consists of 332 centres across 37 countries, providing IP information and services to local industries, businesses, entrepreneurs, researchers and individual innovators. The 2024 annual PATLIB Conference was organised in Ankara, Türkiye, with over 2 600 participants. By the end of 2024, over 8 000 staff from PATLIB centres had completed the Academy's "PATLIB Learning Path". The EPO further organised five "Shaping the Future Together" seminars, allowing PATLIB staff to share experiences and learn from each other.

Figure 33 – 2024 annual PATLIB Conference in Ankara, Türkiye

 

Co-operation with validation states and reinforced partnerships, as well as the Knowledge Transfer to Africa (KT2A) initiative, further broadened global access to IP education. In April, a new course on "IP Basics for Innovators" was launched specifically for KT2A participants. In total, 14 tailored online training sessions and 95 online exchanges were organised for KT2A participants throughout 2024. By the end the year, the KT2A programme spanned 76 universities in 24 African countries, 13 of them twinned with PATLIB centres in Europe.

Certifications: reinforcing the patent profession

Approximately 2 000 candidates from 58 nationalities participated in the 2024 edition of the EQE 2024, 40% of them women. This was the final edition held under the 2009 EQE regulations and involving a pre-examination.

To help candidates and tutors familiarise themselves in advance with the revised EQE 2025 format, the EPO published a revised Guide for Preparation, online training courses, live tutoring sessions and a mock exam for the new Paper F in July 2024.

The EPAC continued to consolidate its position as a cornerstone in the professional growth of European patent administrators. Some 360 candidates passed the third edition of this certification, held in October 2024. Reflecting the wide appeal and importance of the certification, approximately 80% of successful candidates work in industry or private attorney practices, 7% at patent offices, and 13% in diverse roles, including academia.

Since its launch in 2022, EPAC has attracted over 1 100 candidates from 60 countries across four continents. Of these, 87% were from EPC contracting states, while notable participation also came from Asia and Australia, which accounted for another 10%.

Democratising patent knowledge

Espacenet, the world's largest public collection of patent documents, surpassed 150 million documents in early 2024. It offers automatic translation into over 30 languages, including from English, French and German into 27 languages, as well as from English into Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Russian. By the end of the year, six technology platforms leveraged Espacenet data on diverse topics of societal relevance, showcasing how organised patent information can offer valuable insights to address real-world challenges effectively.

To further enhance the accessibility of patent information, the EPO revised its catalogue of patent knowledge products and services: the range of free data products was expanded, the pricing policy greatly simplified and outdated data products were discontinued.

The 2024 edition of the CodeFest challenge welcomed 120 participants from 19 countries. They explored the transformative potential of generative AI in deriving new insights from patent data. The winning team developed a platform that leverages patent data to visualise patent landscapes, assist users in drafting patent applications and evaluate their patentability by providing a similarity score between the intended subject-matter and relevant prior art documents.   

On 4 December, the EPO hosted its annual Patent Knowledge Forum (PKF), bringing together over 2 200 patent knowledge professionals, innovators and patent information experts. The PKF served as a virtual platform for the patent knowledge community.

A highlight of the Forum was the unveiling of the Technology Intelligence Platform (TIP), the EPO's next-generation tool for processing, analysing and visualising patent data. It offers a ready-to-use platform, computational power and access to EPO data collections, including PATSTAT and EP full-text. The platform aims to facilitate access to data by empowering researchers, businesses, innovators and everyday users to run advanced patent data analysis and gain insights. By giving businesses and users the data to make informed decisions, the platform supports sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation.

After its pilot phase with 100 users, TIP surpassed 450 users in its first month, paving the way for the next generation of EPO data tools.

The European Inventor Award and Network: public outreach for the future

The European Inventor Award 2024, celebrating outstanding inventors from 15 countries, took place on 9 July in Valletta, Malta. The event attracted over 1 million views and media coverage reached a record 4 612 reports. Social media engagement soared, reaching 53.8 million users and 6 million video views. The Young Inventors Prize continued to spotlight young inventors, reinforcing the event's impact on future innovation.

Figure 34 – European Inventor Award 2024 Winners

 

Launched in July 2023, the European Inventor Network (EIN) has continued to support activities aimed at inspiring schoolchildren across Europe. In addition to its members, the EIN has extended grants to inspiring individuals recommended by NPOs. In 2024, 18 inventor-led activities were implemented, and following a second call for proposals, the EIN received 24 more submissions, including 11 via NPOs (BG, IT, LV, LT, NL, PT). The EIN has once again helped encourage girls and young women to pursue STEM. Since 2023, it has reached approximately 3 000 children, about half of whom were girls. The EIN aims to reach over 6 000 children by the end of 2025.

Figure 35 – SP2028 Increasing skills and knowledge pipeline

 

Generate insight for a sustainable future: the Observatory on Patents and Technology

Since its launch in October 2023, the EPO Observatory on Patents and Technology has laid a solid foundation for its long-term mission to help build a more innovative society. By following through on its initial biennial work plan – outlined in CA/T 7/23 – the Observatory provided unique insights on the innovation ecosystem, primarily mapping trends and critical technology developments, making available new tools, connecting innovation actors and opening a dialogue on patents and technology beyond IP experts.

The topics addressed in 2024 were: cancer-fighting technologies, clean and water technologies, space-related and assistive robotics' innovations energy transition and patent activities in European universities. In its first 15 months of activity – up to December 2024 – the Observatory published six economic studies and two technology insight reports. It also organised six online events and participated in several outreach activities.

In 2024, 32 NPOs were actively involved in the Observatory's activities following the first call for interest. After the call launched in October 2024 for its planned activities in 2025, this number grew to 36 NPOs.

Working closely with EU institutions has allowed the Observatory to raise interest in IP within innovation networks and align its research with broader European innovation policies and priorities, particularly those covered in Mario Draghi's report on the future of European competitiveness.

The Observatory partnered with key institutions to co-publish studies, leveraging the expertise and networks and increasing the impact, including partnerships with EUIPO on the study about startups; with the European Space Policy Institute and the European Space Agency on space technology; with the European Investment Bank on the study of clean technologies; with the International Energy Agency on the study on electricity grids; and with the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research on the study about the role of European universities in patenting.

The research and analysis behind the studies conducted by the Observatory have already begun to be cited in authoritative sources contributing to the broader discourse on IP and innovation.

The Observatory also delivered important tools during the first months of its activity. With the release of DTF and its six subsequent updates, the Observatory introduced a user-friendly, free platform that seamlessly integrates both patent data (portfolios of EP applications) and business information data (ID cards, geolocation and access to the funding history of startups). In December 2024 the DTF included more than 9 500 startups and 878 universities, and the tool continued to be enriched in January 2025 with an update focused on investors.

Figure 36 – Deep Tech Finder

 

We released three new technology platforms on the topics of "combatting cancer", "space technologies" and "water technologies", all of which are closely linked to SDGs. These technology platforms make it easier for scientists and researchers to explore the EPO's free patent database and put the unique experience of EPO patent examiners at the service of the public.

The Digital Library project continued to be developed, in close cooperation with NPOs. In 2024, a Proof of Concept (POC) of the Digital Library based on a user-centred approach was implemented and in November 2024 a demo video showcasing the features of the POC was presented during the TOSC meeting. 

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During 2024, KPIs under driver 4 demonstrated positive trends towards the relevant targets.

Notable progress was made in the IT co-operation area, underlined by the 24 additional project implementations measured by the associated KPI, with an increase of 21% on 2023. The positive outcome of our international co-operation activities is also reflected in the increased number of countries signing a validation agreement or entering into formal negotiations following AC approval.

The percentage of European Patent Network member states implementing the agreed common practices at the national level remained stable in 2024, in line with the evolving implementation status of the common practices projects.

Aiming to help shape future generations of innovators and decision makers, our partnerships with universities strengthened further. During 2024, 18 new universities integrated the MIPEF into their curricula (+82% on 2023) and 23 new universities offering STEM degrees joined the YP programme.

More accessible patent-related intelligence supports innovation and research. Our efforts in this respect brought the release of three new Espacenet platforms and increased the relevant KPI value to six.