31 March 2022
On 24 March, the 40th meeting of the SACEPO Working Party dedicated to Patent Documentation and Information brought together 23 user representatives in a hybrid set-up hosted by the EPO. Lively exchanges took place on recent developments and new initiatives in the patent information area.
During the meeting, the EPO’s revised data policy was presented to users. EPO representatives highlighted the policy’s role in improving access to patent data as well as helping to maintain the current volume and high quality of data.
SACEPO members also received updates on this year’s much-awaited developments: the creation of the Observatory and the launch of the Unitary Patent (UP). Recent highlights include the publication of a new webpage that explains how UP-related data will be integrated into the EPO’s many patent information tools and services, providing users with an additional layer of patent information.
Two experienced SACEPO members delivered presentations on the varying composition of patent families in different databases and on design as prior art. Coverage of the latter topic stressed the improved searchability of our public databases as a result of the increase in design citations in EPO search reports.
Focussing on the EPO’s patent information products and services, participants also discussed the current status and updates concerning Espacenet, the EPO worldwide legal event data (INPADOC), patent analytics, EPO publications, the European Patent Register, the Global Dossier and PATSTAT.
The EPO hosts regular meetings with the SACEPO Working Party on Patent Documentation and Information to provide user representatives with an opportunity to engage in the latest developments and achievements and to ensure the continual improvement of the EPO’s patent information products and services. These meetings draw on the skills and experience of members, among them representatives of the Confederacy of European Patent Information User Groups (CEPIUG), the Patent Documentation Group (PDG), BusinessEurope, epi and the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys (FICPI). Through regular exchanges, all parties can advance the common goal of improving patent information data, products and services.