TheEurasian Patent Organization(EAPO) is an internationalorganizationset up in 1995 by theEurasian Patent Convention(EAPC) to grantEurasianpatents.The official language of the EAPO isRussianand its current president is Saule Tlevlessova.[1]The headquarters of the EAPO is inMoscow,Russia.
Membership and signatories
editMember states
editAs of February 2021, the following 8 countries are contracting states to the EAPC and therefore members of the Eurasian Patent Organization:[2]
Former members
editMoldovais a former member state of the Eurasian Patent Organization. On 26 October 2011, Moldovadenouncedthe Eurasian Patent Convention, meaning that, since 26 April 2012, it is no longer party to the Convention.[3]In December 2011, negotiations on a "validation and co-operation agreement" between theEuropean Patent Office(EPO) and Moldova were authorized by theAdministrative Council of the European Patent Organisation.[4]The validation agreement with Moldova took effect on 1 November 2015.[5]
Although Moldova left the Eurasian Patent Organization, the Intellectual Property Agency of Moldova signed a Cooperation Agreement between Moldova and the Eurasian Patent Office in 2017.[6]
Signatories that did not become members
editAlthoughUkraineandGeorgiawere original signatories to the Eurasian Patent Convention, they have not ratified it.[7][8]
In 2019, negotiations between theEuropean Patent Office(EPO) and Georgia were expected to result in a validation agreement, similar to the one existing between the EPO and Moldova.[9]
International cooperation
editThe EAPO cooperates with other patent organizations and has signed memorandums of understanding with the following:[10]
- African Regional Intellectual Property Organization
- European Patent Office
- European Union Intellectual Property Office
- Korean Intellectual Property Office
- World Intellectual Property Organization
PPH programme
editThe Patent Prosecution Highway Programme (PPH Programme) constitutes bilateral agreements between the Eurasian Patent Office and other patent offices designed to provide applicants with opportunities to get a patent faster and more efficiently, in one of the participating patent offices. The programme allows for an accelerated examination of patents compared to applications from non-participating patent offices. Currently, partner offices participating in the programme include theJapan Patent Office,European Patent Office,China National Intellectual Property Administration,Korean Intellectual Property Office,and the Finnish Patent and Registration Office.[11]
Exchange of patent documentation
editIn addition, according to its own web site, the EAPO maintains various agreements on the exchange of patent documentation with 38 countries acrossAsia,Europe,andNorth America.[12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Eurasian Patent Organization".www.eapo.org.Archived fromthe originalon 2019-03-27.Retrieved2019-03-27.
- ^Article 2(2) EAPC: (English translation) "All Contracting States shall be members of the Organization."
- ^Denunciation of the Eurasian Patent Convention by the Republic of Moldova,PCT Newsletter,No. 01/2012 (January 2012), p. 2.
- ^Report on the 130th meeting of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation (14 and 15 December 2011)Archived18 March 2013 at theWayback Machine,Official Journal EPO 1/2012, pp. 5-6.
- ^"European patents to cover Moldova".European Patent Office. 8 October 2015. Archived fromthe originalon 11 October 2015.Retrieved20 October2019.
- ^"States Party to the Convention, Eurasian States (rus)".eapo.org(in Russian).Retrieved10 February2021.
- ^"EURASIAN PATENT SYSTEMS".Retrieved10 February2021.
- ^"Establishment of the Eurasian Patent Organization".Archived fromthe originalon 5 March 2017.Retrieved10 February2021.
- ^"Report on the 159th and 160th meetings of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation (27 and 28 March 2019 and 26 and 27 June 2019 respectively) - Official Journal July 2019".European Patent Office (EPO). 31 July 2019.Retrieved20 October2019.
Finally, in its 160th meeting, the Council unanimously authorised the President to conclude a validation agreement with Georgia.
- ^"International & Regional Organizations".eapo.org.Retrieved10 February2021.
- ^"PPH Programme".eapo.org.Retrieved23 February2021.
- ^"Exchange of patent documentation".eapo.org.Retrieved10 February2021.