3 January 2013Patents

USPTO and EPO adopt common classification system

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and European Patent Office (EPO) have forged a closer relationship by signing a deal on a harmonised system for classifying patent documents.

Under the Patent Classification Scheme (CPC), which the offices launched on January 2, 2013, examiners and patentees will be able to conduct patent searches by accessing the same classified patent documents.

The offices believe the move will lead to more efficient prior art searches and reduce the unnecessary duplication of work. A statement on the EPO’s website said the CPC was an ambitious move that incorporates the best classification practices of both offices.

EPO President Benoît Battistelli said the CPC represented a significant breakthrough in the efforts to harmonise the international patent system.

“It is a major step forward on the path to improved efficiency in the patent system for the benefit of the global economy, and key to securing effective patent protection through a quality-based patent system.”

David Kappos, director at the USPTO who will be leaving his post in January 2013, added: “The formal launch is a tremendous accomplishment, representing the collaborative efforts of both offices to create a bilateral classification system that will result in significant benefits to the global innovation community. CPC will foster patent harmonisation efforts by enhancing our ability to leverage and use work through an integrated network of intellectual property offices.”

The offices have been working on the CPC project since October 2010. According to the CPC’s website, the migration towards the scheme will be based largely on the existing European Classification System and will be modified to comply with the International Patent Classification system standards.

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