DATE :
13-05-18
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KIPO & EPO Had a Commissioners Meeting
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HIT :
3,313
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Source: Korean Intellectual Property Office
Date: December 7, 2009
Commissioner Jung-sik Koh of the Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) had a meeting with Commissioner Alison Brimelow of the European Patent Office (EPO) at Hotel Shilla in Seoul on December 1, 2009. The two commissioners discussed the key agendas of the two offices including cooperation in patent information systems, the expansion of exchange programs for patent examiners, and the patent prosecution highway (PPH).
At the meeting, the two offices made agreements on various fronts. One of them has to do with KIPO’s test use of EPOQUE-net, which is EPO’s patent search tool. They will also soon establish a patent information system which allows the exchange of patent examination data between the two via the Internet.
The EPO which consists of examiners representing 36 European member countries boasts the world’s best patent content and examination quality. Through this commissioner’s meeting, the two offices will be able to utilize the patent examination information of their counterpart and exchange examination data online. Such measures will greatly improve examination quality and applicants’ convenience.
In addition, the two commissioners agreed on expanding personnel exchange to enhance their cooperation in patent examination. Based on this agreement, Korean patent examiners will participate in four educational patent courses of EPO Academy in 2010. KIPO and EPO will also develop new exchange programs for patent examiners.
The two commissioners also shared their understanding on the necessity of early adoption of a PPH between Korea and the EU, and consented to begin a feasibility study. The PPH is a set of initiatives for providing accelerated patent prosecution procedures by sharing information between some patent offices. It also permits each participating patent office to benefit from the work previously done by the other patent offices. Korea commenced the PPH with Japan in April 2007 and with the US in January 2008. Its pilot PPH programs are running with Denmark, UK, Canada and Russia. A pilot PPH program will also begin January 2010 between Korea and Finland.
The PPH between KIPO and EPO will shorten the examination period and improve the examination quality. Korean businesses and applicants are expected to save time and costs in acquiring patents in the EU. Moreover, the KIPO ? EPO PPH will accelerate the introduction of Korea’s PPH with other EU member states.
In the meantime, before her meeting with KIPO’s commissioner, Ms. Brimelow delivered a special lecture to students and faculty members at Ewha Women’s University in the morning under the theme of “Women’s role and leadership in the knowledge-based society.” She asked for women’s great interests and participation in the intellectual property area during the lecture saying, “In a knowledge-based society, intellectual property rights will be core elements in determining the competiveness of countries and businesses.”
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