Estonian Patent Office marks 105th anniversary

EPO President addresses International Conference on IP and Sustainability and meets with the Minister and the Secretary General of Estonia's Ministry of Justice 

On 29 May in Tallinn, the Estonian Patent Office (EPA) held a special conference to mark its 105th anniversary. The International Conference on IP and Sustainability welcomed representatives from the European Patent Office (EPO), European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and national patent offices of member states of the European Patent Organisation. 

Margus Viher, EPA Director General, and Tõnis Saar, Secretary General of Estonia’s Ministry of Justice, delivered opening remarks, followed by representatives from several international organisations. António Campinos, EPO President, applauded Estonia as the home of the highest number of startups per capita in Europe and for its impressive track record in digital innovation. 

During his opening remarks, Mr Viher spoke about the long-standing history of co-operation between the EPA and EPO. "This co-operation ensures that the Estonian Patent Office is well-equipped to handle patent applications and provide high-quality services to inventors and businesses, while aligning with the broader European patent system," he said. "Our success stories are shared with the EPO." 

"If anyone knows about building impact through co-operation and technology, it’s Estonia," said President Campinos. "And if 50 years of the European Patent Convention have taught us anything, it’s that we are capable of great impact when we come together." He also praised the EPA's achievements as a member of the European Patent Network, which include being the first national patent office to fully transition to the AI-powered ANSERA-based SEARCH tool developed by the EPO. In addition, Estonia was one of the first countries to adopt Cooperative Patent Classification.  

Further, President Campinos underscored the EPO's launch of several new, free-to-use tools, including the Deep Tech Finder, which helps investors identify investment-ready European startups, and technology platforms running on Espacenet, which offers free access to over 150 million patent documents. 

Opportunities for future co-operation 

During his visit to Tallinn, President Campinos had the opportunity to meet Madis Timpson, the Estonian Minister of Justice. He also held a bilateral meeting with Tõnis Saar, Secretary General of Estonia’s Ministry of Justice and Margus Viher, EPA Director General, to discuss how to build on the successful co-operation between the EPO and Estonia to date, including on new AI-based tools developed by the EPO which are fostering efficiency and reducing barriers for companies and inventors. President Campinos also praised the excellent collaboration between the EPO and EPA, and congratulated EPA staff on the office's 105th anniversary.