EPO to collaborate on raising SEP awareness

The  European Patent Office (EPO) has signed a memorandum of understanding with other European bodies to cooperate in providing further support to industry on standard-essential patents.

According to an EPO  press release issued yesterday, March 18, the memorandum will see the  European Committee of Standardization (CEN) and the  European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) work together to increase knowledge on the relationship between patents and standardisation.

Both CEN and CENELEC maintain and promote harmonised technology standards.

Described as the first such agreement between the three organisations, the memorandum will see them work to promote the “dissemination of technical standards including relevant patented technologies” to industry stakeholders.

EPO president António Campinos said that the agreement would help to “provide inventors and innovating businesses with information about the use of standards and patents in their field of activity”.

“Cooperation with standardisation organisations is essential for tackling the challenges arising from the relationship between standards and patents”, Campinos said.

CEN and CENELEC director general Elena Santiago Cid said that the deal would see the organisations work together to “support the European economy to be more competitive in the global knowledge-based economy".

Cid also said that the memorandum would help CEN and CENELEC achieve the objectives set out in their  2018 Innovation Plan.

The plan committed to raising awareness about standardisation among academics, as well as obtaining the support of European and national institutions.

“The ability to reach the ambitions set out in the plan will be enhanced by the collaboration with EPO”, she said.

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