Search and documentation working methods at the EPO

The European Patent Office (EPO) will organise a seminar on search and documentation working methods to be held in The Hague, The Netherlands, from 15 to 18 March 1999. The aim of the seminar is to bring together the applicant for the patent with the search examiner to facilitate communication between the two parties and learning from each other's experiences.

The seminar should enable those applying for patents to learn about current search methods and procedures in use at the EPO and to learn about their documentation systems and databases. They will also receive information on the progress of computerised information systems in use and get to know the examiner working in their particular fields of interest. The search examiner will also have the opportunity to gain a greater insight and understanding by interacting with counterparts from industry. The workshop will also provide the opportunity for discussions on legal and technical matters and ensure the search examiner is better informed of the needs of the applicant.

The event will feature a series of workshops covering topics of general interest such as software and the electronic filing of patent applications, information searching in the field of mechanics, electricity and physics, chemistry and biotechnology will also be covered. Topics to be presented during the plenary sessions of the conference will include:

- Patenting in a small company;
- Electronic commerce in the patent granting procedure;
- Quality of search.
For further information, please contact:

European Patent Office
Kaj Iwansson, 18-13
Patentlaan 2
2288 EE Rijswijk
The Netherlands
Tel. +31-70-3402740/3403268; Fax +31-70-3403594
E-mail: kiwansson@epo.e-mail.com
URL: http://www.european-patent-office.org/(opens in new window)