REPRESENTATION
PRAKTIKA INTERN
In-house training programme for patent professionals
The European Patent Office offers an opportunity for future European patent attorneys and European patent attorneys in private practice and in industry to receive training within the EPO.
Praktika Intern is mainly aimed at candidates for the European qualifying examination, in particular those whose mother tongue is not an EPO official language.
This training is organised by the European Patent Academy whose objective shall be, amongst others, to promote equal access to training opportunities related to international and European patent law and practice in all current and future EPC contracting states.
The programme
The trainees spend four weeks with Directorate-General 1 (Search/Examination/Opposition) in Munich, The Hague or Berlin, or three to four weeks in Directorate-General 3 (Appeals) in Munich. In DG 1 the trainees work on files and cases and are supervised by an examiner. In DG 3 they are assigned to a technical board of appeal. In some cases they may have the opportunity to attend an examiners' course or oral proceedings, and to acquaint themselves with other activities of the EPO.
Costs
The training itself is free of charge, but trainees have to pay their own living costs and other expenses.
Admission
The programme is open to nationals of all EPC contracting states who are resident in a contracting state.
A basic knowledge of the European patent grant procedure is required, a condition for admission being that the candidate has successfully completed the CEIPI/epi basic training in European patent law or an equivalent course.
The trainees must have a good knowledge of at least one of the official languages, and should have a basic knowledge of the other two.
Candidates may enrol online via http://www.epo.org/about-us/jobs/internships/patent-professionals.html.
The application must be received at the European Patent Academy by 1 October 2007 at the latest.
Trainee numbers are strictly limited: only a few candidates per year can be accepted.
European Patent Office
European Patent Academy
80298 Munich, Germany