EPO reports emissions cut and new partnerships
The European Patent Office (EPO) has published its first annual review of its current strategic plan, revealing progress on international partnerships and environmental sustainability.
The EPO launched its latest strategic plan (SP2023) last year, and pledged to improve IT systems, improve its carbon footprint, and expand the office’s global reach.
Yesterday, June 30, marked the publication of the first annual review of SP2023. According to EPO president António Campinos, 2019 saw “tangible results” on the goals identified in the plan.
The EPO reported a 25% cut in its carbon dioxide emissions, as part of its drive to improve its record on environmental sustainability.
“Our paper consumption, however, emerged as an area with scope for improvement and an SP2023 project will focus on delivering reductions in 2020,” the review said.
Another pillar of SP2023 is to “build a European patent network with a global impact”—the EPO said 2019 was a “momentous year” on that front, with multiple partnerships agreed with other national and regional IP offices.
“The organisation expanded its geographical coverage significantly last year, mainly due to a validation agreement with Georgia and seven reinforced partnership agreements with Ethiopia, Argentina, Malaysia, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil and the African Regional Intellectual Property Office,” the review said.
The EPO also agreed a deal with the Chinese National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) for a two-year pilot scheme that will allow Chinese applicants filing with the CNIPA to select the EPO as their international searching authority.
“This was a landmark agreement in the history of the organisation and in the co-operation between Europe and China on patent protection,” the report said.
Other projects undertaken by the EPO last year included a drive to improve its IT systems and security.
One initiative proved particularly timely as the EPO began outfitting all of its staff with laptops to enable remote working.
The office began piloting oppositions and other patent proceedings via videoconference in early April, as European states were in COVID-19 lockdown.
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