A patent is a legal right granted by the European Patent Office (EPO) that provides the patent holder with exclusive rights to their invention. Here’s what you need to know about patents in Europe:
Exclusive Rights
Patents give inventors the exclusive right to prevent others from making, using, selling, or distributing their invention without permission for up to 20 years.
Innovation Protection
Patents protect novel inventions, involve an inventive step, and are industrially applicable. Furthermore, the invention must be sufficiently disclosed and the claims must be clear.
European Patent Office (EPO)
The EPO is responsible for examining and granting European patents, offering protection in up to 45 countries, including 39 member states plus optionally 1 extension state and 5 validation states.
Application Process
To obtain a patent, an application must be filed with the EPO, which includes a detailed description of the invention, claims defining the scope of protection, and any relevant drawings and/or sequence listings.
Economic Incentive
Patents encourage innovation by providing inventors with the opportunity to benefit commercially from their inventions by exploiting their monopoly, thereby fostering technological progress and economic growth.