20th Meeting of the Patent Innovation Forum (FIP)
The 20th Meeting of the Patent Innovation Forum (FIP) took place on November 18. The significance of this meeting is worth noting, which was chaired by the General Director of the SPTO, as it’s a time for joint reflection on the role of the FIP over all of its previous meetings as a place of encounter and exchange of ideas to help contribute to the development of innovation and competitiveness of individual companies.
During the meeting, statistical reports were presented relating to applications for Patents and Utility Models and Reporting Technology applied to the SPTO, highlighting the surge experienced by the use of electronic applications for all types of Industrial Property. The ALFA project was also presented, implemented last November at the SPTO and consisting of a new electronic processing system for inventions. This project, along with facilitating the handling of inventions for applicants, will also allow the SPTO to become a paperless office. It also highlighted the efforts involved in the digitalization of documents.
PI Plan, PPH and Community Patent
The meeting also discussed the evolution of the PI Plan (2010-2012 Plan for Promoting IP in Spain), highlighting that the experience of the SPTO with this Plan is becoming an example of work methodology in other countries, in that it allows for designs tailored to specific needs in order to get better returns on their efforts.
In addition, it presented a progress report on the agreements signed by the SPTO with the Patent Offices of the United States, Canada and Japan on the "Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)”. The PPH is an initiative that provides expedited procedures for granting patents by sharing information among various Offices, so that each one can benefit from work previously done by others, thereby minimizing the duplication of work done by Examiners, eliminating Review delays and improving quality.
Finally, the status of the Community patent was discussed, making note that the Spanish position, in regard to the system of languages, differs from that presented by the Commission, which contemplates three official languages (English, French and German). Also presented were the results of the Grant Program for promoting applications for Patents and Utility Models in Spain and abroad.
Origin of the Forum
The Patent Innovation Forum (FIP) was established in 1999 by initiative of the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (SPTO), with the aim of promoting discussion on issues related to the world of innovation in the area of Industrial Property and with the involvement of representatives from various organizations and agencies. Its purpose is to be a permanent and flexible forum for discussion, study and information on issues related to innovation and patents.
Its objectives are twofold: firstly, to facilitate and promote communication and debate so that the SPTO receives the views of stakeholders on “Innovation and Patents” on specific topics that are proposed in subsequent work cycles. Secondly, for providing information to stakeholders on initiatives arising out of or collected by the SPTO in relation to the general theme of the Forum.
The Forum currently has a large representation of IP agents, organizations, companies and users, all key sectors in Spain in the area of Industrial Property. The functions of the General Secretariat of the Forum are performed by the OPTI Foundation (Observatory for Industrial Technology Foresight).
www.oepm.es
