News

14.7.2008
EPC 2000: first feedback on applicant behaviour
The European Patent Convention as revised in 2000 (EPC 2000) entered into force on 13 December 2007. First figures are now available showing how its new features have been used.

26.6.2008
Amsterdam hosts IP auction
Europe's second live IP auction took place at the IP Business Congress in Amsterdam today, raising seven million euros.

19.6.2008
Fewer patents granted as EPO focuses on quality
The number of granted European patents fell to 54 699 last year, according to statistics published in the Annual Report 2007 this week.

17.6.2008
Enlarged BoA to review WARF stem cell case
A public hearing on the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) Stem Cell patent application (G 02/06) will take place on 24 and 25 June 2008 at the European Patent Office in Munich

6.6.2008
Background: EPO and SIPO move ahead to secure IPR
With the growth of the Chinese economy and international trade on the rise, the issue of intellectual property rights has become a priority. For over 22 years now, the EPO has worked with Chinese patent authorities to create equal standards regarding IP.

29.5.2008
"Fit for the future": patent information specialists meet in Warsaw
"Making patents understandable" is the future of patent information centres, EPO Vice-President Curt Edfjäll told the PATLIB2008 conference on Wednesday.

23.5.2008
Background: New initiative to protect IPR in China
With a €16 million purse, the EU–China Project on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights is a strong multilateral collaboration between the European Patent Office, its Chinese counterpart (the Chinese State Intellectual Property Office, SIPO), the Chinese government and the European Commission.

7.5.2008
Patent system: Fit to fight global warming?
The European Patent Forum brought together participants from 45 countries in Ljubljana, to discuss how the fields of patenting and IP could support innovations that benefit the environment and counteract climate change.

7.5.2008
Europe’s best innovators honoured in Ljubljana
The inventors of a revolutionary antiviral treatment, a fuel-efficient aluminium car frame, a effective non-invasive eye scan and a groundbreaking surgical robot are the European Inventors of the Year 2008.

6.5.2008
Patents to save the planet?
Green expertise to combat climate change needs to become Europe’s competitive advantage – and the IP system should be one of the key drivers of that edge, according to EC Vice President Günter Verheugen.

30.4.2008
China launches Chinese-English translation tool
A free online machine translation service for patent information searchers and an English version of the "China Intellectual Property Net" website have been launched.

28.4.2008
EPO and USPTO to Pilot Patent Prosecution Highway
The PPH will leverage fast-track patent examination procedures already available in both offices to allow applicants to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently.

25.4.2008
Celebrating innovation on World IP Day
The EPO is marking World Intellectual Property Day by presenting the technologies behind some of Europe's most remarkable inventions.

17.4.2008
European launch of the EU-China IPR2 project
The EPO's Gérard Giroud and DG Trade's Ewa Synowiec gave an outline of the new cooperation project to representatives of the EPO member states, industry and IP experts from European institutions in Brussels today.

10.4.2008
Nominees for Europe's top innovation prize announced
The "European Inventor of the Year awards 2008" will be presented at a gala in Ljubljana on 6 May. Twelve individuals or teams are in the running.

1.4.2008
EPO grants fewer patents despite rise in applications
President Alison Brimelow said the lower number of patents published in 2007 reflects the EPO's commitment to quality.

27.3.2008
The "Broccoli" case: facts, dates and submissions
The Enlarged Board of Appeal of the EPO (EBoA) is currently considering a case concerning patenting a certain type of invention related to the production of plants and animals.

14.3.2008
Trilateral offices to extend work-sharing initiatives
Representatives from the EPO, JPO and USPTO met in Munich this week to discuss ways to improve efficiency and quality of the patent procedure.

7.3.2008
IP training website launched
The ip4inno project is part of the European Commission's "PRO INNO Europe" initiative to promote innovation in Europe. The EPO is one of 19 participating partners.

5.3.2008
New initiative for Community patent
The Slovenian EU presidency has presented proposals on translations and renewal fees in an effort to revive discussions on a Community Patent. The paper will be discussed in the Council next week.