Düsseldorf, December 4, 2023 – 50 years ago, the European Patent Convention (EPC) laid the foundations for innovation and economic growth in Europe: on October 5, 1973, 16 countries signed the European Patent Convention (EPC), pledging to comply with certain rules for the granting of European patents and to harmonize patent law.
Today, the European Patent Organisation comprises 39 states, including all 27 EU member states as well as Albania, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. In addition, there is a growing number of “validation states” outside Europe in which a European patent can also be applied for. The EPC thus covers a diverse market with a total population of some 700 million people, who benefit from groundbreaking inventions in various fields of everyday life and some of whom also find work in innovative sectors.
The EPC is of particular importance for inventors, researchers, and companies, as Europe offers the ideal conditions to bring their ideas to the market. These include the market exclusivity created by European patents and a high level of security when it comes to enforcing these IP rights in Europe.
“The 50 years of the EPC are a testament to the high quality of the European patent system and an important driver for innovative developments,” says Jan Ackermann, patent attorney and partner at Cohausz & Florack. “We are delighted that our law firm is also playing a part in this.”
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