EPO President António Campinos and CNIPA Commissioner Shen Changyu have convened to agree Phase 2 launch of PCT ISA pilot project and sign 2025 annual work plan.

On 21 October, the President of the European Patent Office (EPO) António Campinos and the Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) Shen Changyu held their annual bilateral meeting in Chengdu, China.

The heads of office took stock of the long-standing relationship and successful co-operation between their offices in 2024, spanning legal frameworks, granting procedures, IT infrastructure and outreach. President Campinos highlighted collaboration on Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) as an important area, mentioning the impressive work of CNIPA over the years.

EPO-CNIPA PCT pilot project

The EPO-CNIPA pilot on International Searching Authority (ISA) files was discussed at length. The pilot, which started in 2020, enables nationals and residents of the People's Republic of China to select the EPO as their ISA when filing international patent applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The heads of office agreed on the launch of Phase 2 of the project, which will give Chinese applicants designating the EPO as their ISA the possibility to pay the search fee for new applications in Renminbi (Chinese Yuan) as of 1 December 2024.

"The introduction of this new payment option represents a significant milestone in our ongoing collaboration with CNIPA. This improvement offers greater convenience for Chinese applicants by streamlining procedures and cutting costs. Together with CNIPA, we continue to support innovators in China in accessing Europe's technology markets, promoting growth and enhancing the ties between our regions." – EPO President António Campinos

The pilot project had also been among the points for discussion at an earlier meeting between EPO Vice-President of Legal and International Affairs Christoph Ernst and CNIPA Deputy Commissioner Lu Pengqi in Beijing on 17 and 18 October 2024, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of China's accession to the PCT.

The heads of office concluded their meeting in Chengdu by signing an annual work plan for 2025, with continued focus on these areas of co-operation, along with the agreement to enter into Phase 2 of the ISA PCT pilot project.

Source:
Bilateral meeting of EPO and CNIPA heads | epo.org  (English)