CPC annual meeting hosted by the EPO and USPTO
Participants of the CPC annual meeting in Geneva
The European Patent Office (EPO) and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) hosted the twelfth annual meeting of the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) on 24 February 2025. Held in a hybrid format from Geneva, the meeting brought together some 60 participants from 37 intellectual property offices.
During the meeting, the EPO and USPTO provided updates on the CPC system, including plans for CPC releases in 2025, the use of AI in classification and the available support in training and IT matters. Participating offices reported on their CPC implementation, the benefits they have experienced and their future needs. The meeting fostered discussions and networking opportunities between offices, further strengthening the CPC community. In addition, valuable feedback was gathered, enabling the EPO and USPTO to support potential improvements.
About the CPC
Launched in 2013, the CPC is an extension of the WIPO-administered International Patent Classification (IPC) and is jointly managed by the EPO and the USPTO. It is divided into nine sections, A-H and Y, which in turn are subdivided into classes, sub-classes, groups and sub-groups. There are approximately 260 000 CPC entries. When substantial changes are needed in the CPC, for example, to cater for new and emerging technologies, the EPO and USPTO forward their CPC revision requests to the IP5 Working Group on Classification. Once the Working Group reaches an agreement, it proposes the changes to the IPC community. Following approval by the IPC community, the changes enter into force in both the IPC and the CPC on 1 January of the following year, ensuring alignment of the two classification systems. In 2025, two further CPC releases will take place on 1 May and 1 August. These will implement changes in the CPC only.
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