Three Delegations of EPO Examiners Visit CPA Beijing & Shenzhen Offices
During the past months, three delegations of European Patent Office (EPO) examiners from chemistry, electronics and electricity, and mechanics divisions respectively visited China Patent Agent (H.K.) Ltd. (CPA). The EPO examiners shared the latest updates and exchanged views with our patent attorneys on topical issues in European patent prosecution and examination practice during the meetings.
On 28 September 2018, senior examiner Mr. Zafirios Georgiou led a delegation of EPO examiners in the field of chemistry to CPA Beijing Office, and presented on the topics of "examination of post-filing experimental data at EPO", "public prior use in opposition proceedings", and "Asian prior art search".
EPO examiners in the field of chemistry visited CPA Beijing Office
On 11 October, under the leadership of senior examiner Mr. Roland Johansson, EPO examiners in the field of electronic and electrical technology also visited our Beijing office, providing us with "a brief review of the latest development of EPO", as well as expounding on the "examination of computer-implemented inventions", and "examination of artificial intelligence (AI)-related patent applications".
And on 17 October, a delegation of examiners in the field of mechanical technology led by senior examiner Mr. Stefann Pille were at our Shenzhen office, presenting on the topics of "how to accelerate prosecution of European patent applications" and "Europe's unitary patent system".
EPO examiners in the field of mechanical technology at CPA Shenzhen Office
The three meetings were moderated by CPA Beijing Office deputy director Mr. Yuan Shaohui, Shenzhen Office director Mr. Ma Yongli, and Beijing Office Chemistry Department manager Mr. Li Liantao respectively.
The meetings provided an opportune occasion for our attorneys to discuss in depth with the EPO examiners face-to-face on such key challenging issues of the industries as post-filing experimental data, computer-implemented inventions, and AI patents, which have been subjects of controversy across various jurisdictions in terms of their legislation and practice. Moreover, benefited from the clear explanation of the EPO examination criteria by the EPO examiners themselves, our attorneys are better equipped with pertinent solutions to problems encountered by the Chinese applicants in the prosecution of European patent applications.
