Honored to join my fellow council members in the 38th US Bar- European Patent Office Liaison Council Meeting led via hybrid format in Washington, DC, on Monday, November 7, 2022.

The US Bar-EPO Liaison Council is a forum to facilitate exchange between the EPO and US applicants, who account for a quarter of EPO’s users, the largest number from any single country. The Council represents IP law associations and IP sections of state bar associations across the country. It increases mutual understanding of European and US patent practice and updates members on recent developments on both sides of the Atlantic.

The agenda covered a wide range of issues. European Patent Office President António Campinos and Council President Iris Mok opened the session. Principal Director (Legal Affairs) Mihaly Ficsor chaired the proceedings.

Thank you to the EPO officials who ably briefed the Council on the following topics:
• The Unitary Patent (Michael Fröhlich)
• Timeliness and Quality (Emma Ó Donnabháin)
• European qualifying examination and quality (Xavier Seuba)
• AI patents/ Oral proceedings in opposition by videoconference (Doris Thums)
• Legal changes to support digital transformation (Laurence Brüning-Petit)
• Substantive patent law harmonization (Sylvie Strobel)

Photos (clockwise): Doris Thums (Head of department, Opposition and Substantive Patent Law); breakfast with President Campinos (photo credit: Iris Mok); group photo with President Campinos (photo credit: Iris Mok) Xavier Seuba (Director Patent Academy and EQE); Laurence Brüning-Petit (Head of Department, Directorate Patent Law); Sylvie Strobel (International Legal Affairs Directorate); Emma Ó Donnabháin (Principal Director, Quality and Practice Harmonisation).