1. The role of the European Patent Office and patenting in Europe Protection of knowledge in the shipbuilding industry Workshop on Intellectual Property Rights Gareth Lord, Director Directorate Hamburg Vehicles and General Technology March 2010
28/03/2017

2. Technical areas of Directorate 2.4.22
Aerospace
Seals
Hydraulics
Valves
and...
Railway engineering

3. Shape and construction of hull
Shipbuilding B63B Ships or other waterborne vessels, equipment for shipping
Shape and construction of hull
"Axe bow" hull
Hydroplane 3

4. Shipbuilding B63B Ships or other waterborne vessels, equipment for shipping
Anchoring/mooring
Pool-type anchor
all kinds of
(floating) buoys
Turret mooring
(for oil drilling installations) 4

5. Shipbuilding B63B Ships or other waterborne vessels, equipment for shipping
Techniques for
loading and storing
containers on large
transport ships
The loading and arrangement
of (prefabricated) cabins
aboard cruise ships
Surfboards,
with or without sail 5

6. Shipbuilding B63C Launching, hauling-out, or dry-docking of vessels; Life-saving in water; Equipment for dwelling or working under water; Means for salvaging or searching for underwater objects 6

7. Shipbuilding B63G Offensive or defensive arrangements on vessels; mine-laying; mine-sweeping; submarines; aircraft carriers 7

8. Shipbuilding B63H Marine propulsion or steering
Propellers (here
with logarithmically curved blades)
Sails (here a 3D sail
with polymeric tapes)
Improved rowing boats 8

9. Shipbuilding B63H Marine propulsion or steering
Rudders (here with rear flap control)
Outboard motors (here with coaxial
propellers and swivel bracket) 9

10. Shipbuilding B63H Marine propulsion or steering
Electric or hybrid propulsion
(here combined with electrical energy supply to ship network) 10

11. Strong growth in shipbuilding applications

12. Locations The EPO has offices at five different locations.
Its headquarters are in Munich.

13. Autonomy Second largest intergovernmental institution in Europe
Not an EU institution
Self-financing, i.e. revenue from fees covers operating and capital expenditure

14. 36 member states
Austria • Belgium • Bulgaria • Croatia • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Ireland • Italy • Latvia • Liechtenstein • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia • Malta • Monaco • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Romania • San Marino • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • Switzerland • Turkey • United Kingdom
European patent applications and patents can also be extended at the applicant's request to the following states:
Albania • Bosnia-Herzegovina • Montenegro • Serbia
Albania will become the 37th member state on 1 May 2010 14

15. Our role in the European patent system
We provide patent protection in up to 40 European countries based on a single application in one of the three official languages (German, English, French)
European patent applications can be filed:
direct with the EPO
via the national patent offices of the contracting states
based on an international (PCT) application
We are also responsible for
limitation and revocation proceedings by patentees
opposition proceedings by third parties
appeal proceedings before the Boards of Appeal

16. Other services Free online services filing fee payment file inspection
tracking of legal status of applications
Free patent information services
online access to all European patent documents (updated weekly)
simple online searches in our database of over 60 million patent applications
helpdesk staffed by experts on the Japanese, Chinese and Korean patent systems
Training
conferences
workshops and seminars
e-learning

17. What is a patent?
A patent is a legal title granting its holder the right to prevent third parties from commercially using an invention without authorisation.
In return for this protection, the holder has to disclose the invention to the public.
Protection is granted:
for a limited period, generally 20 years
for a specific geographic area

18. Paris Convention
Article 5ter Patented Devices Forming Part of Vessels, Aircraft, or Land Vehicles
In any country of the Union the following shall not be considered as infringements of the rights of a patentee:
(i) the use on board vessels of other countries of the Union of devices forming the subject of his patent in the body of the vessel, in the machinery, tackle, gear and other accessories, when such vessels temporarily or accidentally enter the waters of the said country, provided that such devices are used there exclusively for the needs of the vessel;
(ii) the use of devices forming the subject of the patent in the construction or operation of aircraft or land vehicles of other countries of the Union, or of accessories of such aircraft or land vehicles, when those aircraft or land vehicles temporarily or accidentally enter the said country.

19. EU Patent
Dec. 2009: Agreement by Ministers in Competitive Council on "political general approach" on a draft EU Patent Regulation
Key elements
Co-existence of national, European and EU patents
EU Patent created through adoption of EU Regulation
Accession of the EU to the EPC, Granting of EU patents by EPO
Common granting procedure for European and Community patents - determination by applicant at the granting stage
Creation of a centralised, specialised litigation system for both European and EU patents: "EEUPC"
EU Patent Regulation: to be adopted by qualified majority under "co-decision" procedure
Translation provisions put into a separate EU Regulation, but:
Unanimity required in Council + consultation of EU Parliament
Entry into force paired with that of EU Patent Regulation

20. European and European Union Patent Court
Efforts to create a centralised EU specialised Patent Court
for both European and EU patents
Exclusive jurisdiction: infringement + validity post-grant
Powers to order damages, compensation, provisional and protective measures
Structure:
Court of First Instance: central + local/regional divisions
Centralised Court of Appeal (multinational composition of judges, including technically qualified judges in both tiers)
Referrals to ECJ for Preliminary Ruling on questions of interpretation of Community law only
EPO supports both the EU patent and EEUPC initiatives

21. Need more information? www.epo.org info@epo.org
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