Annual Technical Report on Patent Information Activities in 2025 submitted by European Patent Office (EPO)

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URLs in responses should meet the following requirements:

I. GENERAL OVERVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PATENT INFORMATION ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Information on the following topics is desired:

Information on the following topics is desired:

Policies and plans:

Strategic plan 2028

Observatory on Patents and Technology

New projects and initiatives:

EPO Technology Dashboard 2025

Technology Intelligence Platform

Deep Tech Finder

Statistics:

Statistics and Indicators

Data Downloads

EPO Data Hub

Linked Open EP Data

Other useful links:

Annual Review 2025

Reinforced partnership programme

Partnership Report 2025

EPO news

During 2025, the EPO continued to develop its patent information services, data products, digital platforms and cooperation activities. Key developments included activities under Strategic Plan 2028, the work of the Observatory on Patents and technology, further expansion of patent analytics

and technology intelligence services, and the development of open – data and data – sharing initiatives. Additional information is available through the resources listed above.

II. SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO PATENT INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Information on the following topics is desired:

Information and support provided by the Office to applicants regarding filing on paper and/or e-filing:

MyEPO services (Online Filing 2.0, MyEPO Portfolio, Mailbox, Central Fee payment, Legal Interactive Platform, electronic procedural services)

Learning

Availability of the application dossier in electronic form:

European Patent Register

MyEPO Portfolio

Classification, preclassification, reclassification activities; classification system used:

Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)

CPC Scheme and Definitions

International Patent Classification (IPC)

CPC Text Categoriser

Abstracting, reviewing and translation of the information contained in patent documents:

Patent Translate

Machine translation services

Other activities:

PATLIB Network

European Patent Bulletin

Publication Server

The EPO offers a broad range of patent information services supporting applicants, patent professionals, researchers, businesses and the public throughout the patent lifecycle. These services include digital filing tools, online access to patent information, patent classification systems, machine translation services and patent knowledge support activities.

III. SOURCES OF PATENT INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE

Information on the following topics is desired:

Search services:

Espacenet

European Patent Register (including the Register for unitary patent protection)

Patent information products and databases:

Global Patent Index (GPI)

PATSTAT (PATSTAT Global, PATSTAT EP Register, PATSTAT Online)

Open data and machine – readable data:

Open Patent Services (OPS)

Data Downloads

EPO Data Hub

Linked Open EP Data

Patent analytics and technology intelligence tools:

UP Dashboard

Technology Intelligence Platform

Deep Tech Finder

IV. ICT SUPPORT TO SERVICES AND ACTIVITIES RELATED TO PATENT INFORMATION CARRIED OUT BY THE OFFICE

Information on the following topics is desired:

Specific software tools supporting business procedures within the Office: general description, characteristics, advantages, possible improvements:

MyEPO services

Technology Intelligence Platform

Digital tools support patent filing, processing, search, classification and patent information services.

Hardware used to support business processes of the Office:

Secure ICT infrastructure supports electronic filing, patent search, patent information services and access to patent information products.

Internal databases: coverage, updates, interlinks with external sources:

Open Patent Services (OPS)

Bibliographic, legal status and search documentation databases, including DOCDB and INPADOC, are continuously updated with patent information received from patent offices worldwide.

Establishment and maintenance of electronic search file: file building, updating, storage, documents from other offices included in the search file:

Espacenet

Open Patent Services (OPS)

The electronic search file contains patent documentation and related information from the EPO and patent offices worldwide.

Administrative management electronic systems (register, legal status, statistics, and administrative support):

European Patent Register

Federated register

MyEPO services

Electronic systems support register services, legal status information, statistics and administrative procedures.

Other matters:

Linked Open EP Data

EPO Data Hub

Open – data and machine – readable data services support wider dissemination and reuse of patent information.

V. PROMOTION ACTIVITIES AIMED TO SUPPORT USERS IN ACCESS AND EFFICIENT USE OF PATENT INFORMATION

Information on the following topics is desired:

Patent library: equipment, collection management, network of patent libraries in the country, cooperation with foreign patent libraries:

PATLIB Network

The PATLIB network facilitates access to patent information and patent knowledge services across the EPO member states.

Publications related to different business procedures and patent information sources available to users:

Patent Knowledge News

Patent Knowledge Publications

Patent knowledge publications and news services provide guidance on patent searching, patent information and patent knowledge tools.

Office’s initiatives on providing foreign patent information in the local language(s):

Patent Translate

Patent Translate supports multilingual access to patent information through machine translation of patent documents

Cooperation with universities, research centres, technology and innovation support centres, etc.:

Observatory on Patents and Technology

PATLIB Network

Cooperation activities support the use of patent information by research, innovation and technology – transfer communities.

Education and training: training courses, e-learning modules, seminars, exhibitions, etc.:

Patent Knowledge Academy – European Patent Academy

Learning and Events

The European patent Academy provides training courses, webinars, seminars and e – learning resources relating to patent information.

Other activities:

Deep Tech Finder

Technology Intelligence Platform

Additional tools support patent analytics, technology intelligence and innovation – related activities.

VI. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF PATENT INFORMATION

Information on the following topics is desired:

International exchange and sharing of patent information in machine-readable form, e.g., priority documents, bibliographic data, abstracts, search reports, full text information:

Patent data and documentation services

Open Patent Services (OPS)

Patent information is exchanged and disseminated in machine – readable form through a range of data and documentation services.

Participation in international or regional activities and projects related to patent information:

Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)

IP5 Cooperation

WIPO Committee on WIPO Standards (CWS)

The EPO actively participates in international and regional initiatives relating to patent information, patent classification, patent data standards and information exchange, including IP5 cooperation and WIPO CWS activities.

Assistance to developing countries:

International cooperation activities

Patent Knowledge Academy – European Patent Academy

Capacity – building, training and knowledge – sharing activities support access to patent information and the effective use of patent information resources worldwide.

Other activities:

Technology Intelligence Platform

Patent analytics and technology intelligence tools contribute to international cooperation and knowledge – sharing activities.

VII. ACTIVITIES RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WIPO STANDARDS CONCERNING PATENT INFORMATION

Note:  For each Standard listed below, please enter one of the following values: 

Implementation Status Definitions

"Fully implemented"

The WIPO Standard has been implemented in a manner compliant or compatible with the Standard.

"Partially implemented"

The WIPO Standard has been implemented in part.  The Office practice aligns with some, but not all, requirements of the Standard.

"On implementation phase"

The decision to implement the WIPO Standard has been made and it is currently being deployed, configured, or integrated into systems and workflows.

"Planning to implement"

The decision to implement the WIPO Standard has been made;  planning activities (resource allocation, timeline development, technical design) are underway before actual implementation begins.

"On assessment phase"

The WIPO Standard is under active evaluation to determine its feasibility, technical requirements, costs, benefits, and alignment with organizational needs before making an implementation decision.

"No plan to implement"

The WIPO Standard has been reviewed and there is currently no intention or plan to implement it.


WIPO Standard ST.3:  Recommended standard on two-letter codes for the representation of states, other entities and intergovernmental organizations

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.6:  Recommendation for the numbering of published patent documents

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.9:  Recommendation concerning bibliographic data on and relating to patents and SPCs

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.10/C:  Presentation of bibliographic data components

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.13:  Recommendation for the numbering of applications for industrial property rights (IPRs)

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.14:  Recommendation for the inclusion of references cited in patent documents

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.16:  Recommended standard code for the identification of different kinds of patent documents

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.18:  Recommendation concerning patent gazettes and other patent announcement journals

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.25: Presentation of nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings in patent applications

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.26:  Recommended standard for the presentation of nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings using XML  (extensible markup language)

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.27:  Recommendation for the exchange of patent legal status data

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.36:  Recommendation for the processing of patent information using XML (extensible markup language)

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.37:  Recommendation for an authority file of published patent documents

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.50:  Guidelines for issuing corrections, alterations and supplements relating to patent information

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.90:  Recommendation for processing and communicating intellectual property data using web APIs (Application Programming Interfaces)

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.91:  Recommendations on digital three-dimensional (3D) models and 3D images

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.92:  Recommendations on the data package format for the electronic exchange of priority documents

Implemented


WIPO Standard ST.96:  Recommendation for the processing of intellectual property information using XML (extensible markup language)

Implemented


VIII. OTHER RELATED MATTERS

Please include any other relevant information here.

None