What is the Reinforced Partnership programme?

Reinforced Partnership (RP) is a co-operation programme launched by the EPO in 2018. Under the programme, the EPO and the respective partner offices engage in a deep and wide-ranging partnership comprising co-operation activities across all areas of the patent system. One of the key objectives is to improve conditions for applicants, both foreign and local, and thereby to facilitate access to the national/regional patent systems.

As part of the RP programme, the partner offices agree to systematically reuse EPO work products in their patent grant processes with a view to enhancing and expediting the search and examination of national/regional patent applications claiming the same priority. Although RP does not require any legislative amendments to the legal frameworks of the partner countries, the closer the alignment of the national/regional patent laws with the European Patent Convention, the greater the benefits of reusing EPO work products.