Improving Patent Guidelines: Updates from the EPO

24 / 10 / 2024

On October 9 2024, the European Patent Office (EPO) held a meeting with user groups to discuss updates to its Guidelines. This was the second meeting of the year and focused on revising the Guidelines for the European Patent Convention (EPC), the Patent Cooperation Treaty-European Patent Office (PCT-EPO) and the Unitary Patent.

The EPO invited users to review the draft Guidelines over the summer and provide feedback. Most of the suggestions made by the members were adopted, significantly influencing the final drafts.

Participants particularly noted improvements in the clarity of content and the inclusion of references to other legal texts, which enhanced the document’s usability.

The meeting also highlighted the EPO’s commitment to transparency by offering detailed responses to each piece of feedback, even when certain suggestions were not implemented. This practice was well-received, fostering a collaborative environment between the EPO and its user community.

A key topic of discussion was the new Guidelines for the Unitary Patent, which will be published in April 2025. The EPO appreciated the feedback from users which helped to shape the first edition of these guidelines. The discussion covered various aspects, including the structure, scope and content of the Guidelines.

The meeting demonstrated the EPO’s commitment to working with users to produce clear and effective guidance. This collaborative approach not only enriches the guidelines but also strengthens the relationship between the EPO and its stakeholders, setting a solid foundation for the implementation of the Unitary Patent system.

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