WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONIP/C/W/377/Add.7
15 November 2002
(02-6334)
Council for Trade-Related Aspects
of Intellectual Property RightsOriginal:  English
TECHNICAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES:
INFORMATION FROM MEMBERS
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THEIR MEMBER STATES
Addendum
The present document reproduces the updated information on the European Communities and
their member States' technical and financial cooperation activities relevant to the implementation ofthe TRIPS Agreement, which has been received from the Permanent Delegation of the European
Commission by means of a communication dated 4 October 2002.
_______________
This document updates the information provided in the year 2001 in document
IP/C/W/306/Add.6.  It concerns activities relating to the TRIPS Agreement carried out during the past
year (Summer 2001 to Summer 2002) by the European Communities, as well as by Austria, Finland,
Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.  Though involving several EC
member States, the assistance in search and examination of inventions (under the PCT or in the
framework of other WIPO initiatives, such as ICSEI) is not mentioned in this document.
Further information on the activities of the remaining member States of the European
Communities will be distributed as supplements to this document.
The document also includes a presentation of the technical co-operation activities carried out
by the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2001 and 2 002, both as regards its own technical co-operation
activities and the implementation of certain EC-sponsored programmes.
In addition, the EC and their member States draw the attention of the Members of the TRIPS
Council to the fact that considerable technical assi stance is provided to candidate countries for EU-
accession (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey).  This is carried out through several instruments and
programmes, under which the Phare Programme.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
EC-ASEAN IPR CO-OPERATION PROGRAMME (ECAP 2).......................................................3
EC-CHINA IPR CO-OPE RATION PROGRAMME ........................................................................9
EC-INDIA IPR CO-OPE RATION PROGRAMME ........................................................................11
B. MEMBER STATES
AUSTR IA........................................................................................................................ ......................12
FINL AND ........................................................................................................................ .....................14
GERMANY ........................................................................................................................ ..................15
ITALY.......................................................................................................................... .........................20
PORTUG AL....................................................................................................................... ..................21
SPAIN .......................................................................................................................... .........................23
SWEDEN ......................................................................................................................... .....................26
UNITED KI NGDOM................................................................................................................. ..........30
C. EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICEIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 3EC-ASEAN IPR CO-OPERATION PROGRAMME (ECAP 2*)
Beneficiary country (ies) Title a nd date of the event Implementing
agencyDescription
Brunei, Indonesia,
Philippines, Singapore,
Thaïland, Vietnam,
(regional activity)High level study visit on
enforcement and border
measures
(Brussels & Paris, 25-29 June
2001)European Patent
Office (EPO)Exchange of views and experiences in Paris with representatives of the French
Government (Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Defence, External Economic
Relations, Special Brigade combating counterfeiting, Customs, Ministry of
Justice), the "Comité National Anti Contrefaçon", industry and INPI;  in Brusselswith WTO and the EC .
Audience :  4 participants per ASEAN country:  Heads of ASEAN IP offices and
high level representatives for each participating country from customs, police and
judiciary
Brunei, Indonesia,Philippines, Singapore,Thaïland, Vietnam,(regional activity)EU-ASEAN Symposium on
Networking of TrainingCenters & Courts
(Bangkok, 22-23 April
2002)EPO Two topics were addressed:  Teaching and Networking of IP In Europe;  and
Networking in Court Systems -Networking In Enforcement of IP Rights.
Audience :  4 participants per ASEAN country:  Heads of ASEAN IPO's, ECAP 2
contact person, judge, university representative, and ASEAN IP Association
Brunei, Indonesia,
Philippines, Singapore,Thaïland, Vietnam,(regional activity)Workshop on "Filing to
registration procedures -trademarks"
(Manila, 16-17 May 2002)Office for
Harmonisation
in the Internal
Market (OHIM)Workshops and presentations on the Community trademark system and
procedures.  Comparative discussions were held in order to facilitate the meansby which common problems may be addressed on regional level.
Audience :  Trademark examiners and registrars from all national IP offices
Philippines Study visit by Philippine
Delegation to European
collecting societies
(Munich and Paris, 10-14
September 2001)EPO Meeting and exchange of views with representatives of European institutions
during a weeklong study visit to Paris and Munich.  The aim of the visit was to
exchange information on the respective practices and methods in the field of
copyright and collecting societies.
The following organisations were visited: Ministry of Culture (Bureau de la
Propriété littéraire et artistique), ADAMI (Société Civile pour l'Administration desDroits et Musiciens Interprètes), CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of
Authors and Composers), SACEM (Société des Auteurs Compositeurs et Editeurs de
Musique), SACD (Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques) in Paris,GEMA (Society for Musical Performing Rights and Mechanical Reproduction -German collecting society) and BUMA/STEMRA (Dutch Collecting Society) in
* ECAP 2 is an EC-Initiative, implemented by EPO, in co-operation with OHIMIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 4
Beneficiary country (ies) Title a nd date of the event Implementing
agencyDescription
Germany .
Audience :  2 Philippine officials with responsibilities in the area of copyright and
collecting societies (from the National Library, National Commission for Culture
and the Arts, Philippine Reproduction Rights Organisation, Performers RightsSociety of the Philippines, Inc.)
Philippines Seminar for patent
examiners
(Berlin, 17-26 September
2001)EPO 4 Philippine examiners were explained the basic principles behind patent
examination with particular emphasis on the EPO system regarding three-man
divisions for treatment of patent applications.The training focused on  basics of substantive examination.  Examination
methodology used at the EPO.  Lectures, discussions, case studies.
Audience:  4 Philippine patent examiners
Philippines Training on PCT issues -
receiving section
 (Manila, 25 February-1
March 2002)EPO A European expert spent one week at the IPO in order to identify administrative
requirements and to offer advice for the ex pected entry of the Philippines into the
PCT.  The discussions were based on formalities and receiving issues andaddressed formalities personnel as well as patent examiners.  This activity isexpected to contribute to the preparation for administration of PCT work.
Audience :  1 EPO expert trained IPO staff
Philippines Training on first to file
principles
(Manila, 4-15 March 2002)EPO In order to train Philippine patent examiners in issues relating to the current first-
to-file system adopted by the IPO, two European experts spent two weeks at theIPO.  Considerations such as priority dates, top-up searches and other specificmatters were discussed.- The EPO examiner explained the consequences of the 'first to file' system on thedefinition of 'prior art' as well as practical matters in searching for, identifying
and utilising intermediate documents.  This took place in the form of "interactive"
training on the job.- The EPO receiving specialist complemented training by analysingadministrative procedures, including filing dates in bibliographic data etc.  This
activity was expected to contribute to the improvement of the new patent system.
Audience :  2 EPO experts (a member staff from the EPO receiving section and a
substantive examiner) trained IPO staff
Philippines Participation in regional IPR
enforcement conference(Hanoi, 13-17 May 2002)EPO Participation of 4 Philippine representatives (IPO, Ministry of Justice, Office of
the President, Supreme Court) at the 'Regional week on IP' in Hanoi on 13-17May 2002 and composed of two parts: ASEM seminar on IPR enforcement (2days) and "Which future for intellectual property in Asia" (3 days).IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 5Beneficiary country (ies) Title a nd date of the event Implementing
agencyDescription
The main focus was set on dialogue between public entities and right holders in
the field of enforcement.
Audience :  IPR enforcement experts from 26 ASEM countries (10 Asian, 15
European countries and the EC) and private sector representatives from Europe
and Asia
Philippines
ThailandTraining on trade mark
examination
(17-23 November 2001)OHIM The Philippine delegation was trained at OHIM and at the UK Patent Office in
various practices of substantive trademark examination.  The activity provided a
comparative assessment between the national (UK) and the regional (OHIM)trademark examination.
Audience :  6 trade mark examiners and members of the Thai trademark Board. +
6 trademark examiners and attorneys from the Philippine IPO
Philippines
ThailandStudy visit in Europe on
plant varieties
(Munich, Angers, Hanover,
19-17 May 2002)EC initiative
implemented by
EPOThe participants discussed legal and administrative aspects in the field of plant
varieties with expert institutions (EPO, UPOV, Bundessortenamt in Hanover,
CPVO in Angers).
Audience :
- 2 participants from the Philippines: a Supervising Science Research Specialist,
Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and
Development (PCARRD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)and a patent examiner dealing with plant varieties- 2 Thaï participants:  a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture and arepresentative from the DIP.
PhilippinesThailandSymposium on enforcement
of IPRs and Patent Litigation
(Munich, 10-14 September
2001)EPO The Symposium was organised by the EPO International Academy in co-operation
with the European Patent Institute and the Max Planck Institute.  It was dedicated tojudges and prosecutors involved in industrial property enforcement, in particular inpatent litigation.  The symposium included ten half-day working sessions/workshopson specific cases and topics.
The highlight of the Symposium was a mock trial on the 'Bierseidel' case, whichenabled the participants to witness the interaction between a judge, a plaintiff and a
defendant in a patent litigation case.
Audience :  A total of 264 judges, prosecutors lawyers, patent attorneys, justices, from
all over the world (44 countries) attended the Symposium (out of which 150
participants were invited with financial support from the EPO or the EC).  Some 42high-level speakers participated in the event.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 6
Beneficiary country (ies) Title a nd date of the event Implementing
agencyDescription
5 judges from the Philippines & 5 judges from Thailand participated with ECAP 2
funding.
PhilippinesThaïlandPatent claim drafting course
(Singapore, 13-17 May
2002)EPO 2x 1 week training for 2 professional representatives from the Philippines (May
and November 2002).
An established programme for training IP agents is the FICPI (Fédération
Internationale des Conseils en Propriété Industrielle) and SEAD (South East
Asian Patent Drafting Training Course) course for patent agents.  It is a practical
hands-on training in the preparation of pa tent applications and claims.  The course
is directed at teaching the art of drafting.  Tuition was  given in draftingtechniques used in the major jurisdictions in Europe, United States of Americaand Japan.
Audience :  2 Philippine  and 2 ThaÏ participants were funded under ECAP:
- A Senior science research specialist at the Technology Application and
Promotion Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (Philippines)- An intellectual property rights specialist at the documentation, information andtechnology transfer bureau of the IPO (Philippines)
- the Director of Mahidol University Applied and technology Service Center
(Thaïland)- A representative of the Dpt of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince ofSongkla University (Thaïland).
PhilippinesThailandFellowship at a European
Research Institute
(London,
September/October 2002)EPO 2 months fellowship at the Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute in
London.  The research proposal is entitled: 'potential mechanisms and policyconsiderations for intellectual property management and plant variety protection
of selected Philippine Crop Biotechnology R&D programmes'
Audience:  1 Philippine Science Research Specialist II, of the Philippine Council
for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development of
the Department of Science and Technology.1 judge attached to the Thai office of the Judiciary acting as Judge of the Central
Intellectual Property and Thai International Trade Court
Thailand Implementation of a new
digital trade mark system
(Bangkok, 15-24 September
2001)OHIM Two OHIM experts undertook a mission to  DIP to analyse all the different trade
mark workflow procedures and the IT systems in place at DIP.  A joint report wasproduced with proposals for modifications and recommendations on how toimprove the trade mark administration management system.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 7Beneficiary country (ies) Title a nd date of the event Implementing
agencyDescription
Thailand Study visit in Europe on
trademarks
(Bangkok, 23-29 September
2001)OHIM The Thai delegation participated in a two-day meeting on the functioning of the
Community trademark system.  One more day was dedicated to follow-updiscussions with the OHIM experts who had made an analysis of the Thai system.Different proposals were debated in order to find feasible solutions of problems inthe Thai trademark management system.
Audience :  4 participants (trade mark examiners and registrars)
Thailand Course on Trademark Law
Treaty
Bangkok  (25-26 September
2002)OHIM At the request of DIP, a training course was held on the TLT and absolute ground
examination of trademarks.
Audience :  2 European experts + around 40 Examiners and other DIP staff
Thailand Training on search and
examination in the field of
biotechnology
(The Hague, 1-5 October
2001)EPO A group of 3 patent examiners from the DIP spent one week at the European
Patent Office in The Hague, studying specific issues in the patent granting
procedure for biotechnological applicatio ns.  The course was directed towards
examiners having already a good knowledge of the patent system but requiringadditional training in specialised technical fields.Training was provided on examination practice and opposition procedures in thefield of biotechnology.
Audience :  3 patent examiners from the DIP
Thailand Seminar on substantive
examination in the field ofchemistry andpharmaceuticals
(Munich, 15-26 October
2001)EPO A group of 3 patent examiners from the DIP spent one week at the European
Patent Office, studying specific issues in the patent granting procedure forpharmaceutical applications.  The course was directed towards examiners havingalready a good knowledge of the patent system but requiring additional training inspecialised technical fields.
Training was provided on examination practice and opposition procedures in the
field of chemistry and focus on pharmaceuticals.
Audience :  3 patent examiners from the DIP
Thailand Training on new technical
issues in patent examination -administration patent
registration
(The Hague, 5-16 November
2001)EPO in co-
operation with
WIPO1 patent examiner from the DIP  spent one week at the European Patent Office in
The Hague, studying specific issues in the patent granting procedure foradministrative issues in the patent and trademark procedure.  In the framework of
a course directed towards administrators  and mid-level management in charge of
administrative procedures from developing countries.  (Staff in charge ofadministrative duties in the patent and/or trademark procedures).
Audience :  1 patent examiner from the DIPIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 8
Beneficiary country (ies) Title a nd date of the event Implementing
agencyDescription
Thailand Assistance in training on
administrative issues in PCTprocessing
(Bangkok, 11-15 March
2002)EC initiative
implemented by
EPOA European expert spent one week at the DIP in order to identify administrative
requirements and to offer advice in anticipation of the entry of Thailand into thePCT.  The discussions were based on formalities issues and addressed formalitiespersonnel as well as patent examiners
Audience :  1 EPO expert trained DIP staff
Thailand Provision of books, journals
and ESPACE CD-ROM
collection(Bangkok, August 2002)EPO Books on IP to the value of 10,000 EURO were sent to Thailand (will be placed
in the DIP's library).  CD-ROM collection was provided under EPO bilateral
funds
Audience :  IPO and general public
Singapore Training on recent
international protocolsrelating to copyrights,
(25-26 April 2002,
Singapore)EPO Participation of EU expert in the IP copyright week by presenting 2 lectures at the
copyright forum:  "A Comparison Between the EC and US Experiences" and"Electronic Copyright Management Systems – A Restriction on Information?"
and advising copyright staff at IPOS.  The forum was intended to raise topical
copyright issues for discussion amongst Singapore's IP profession and to furtherdevelopment.
Audience :  Singapore's IP profession
Singapore Provision of books, journals
and ESPACE CD-ROM
collection
(Singapore, May 2002)EPO Books on IP to a value of 10,000 EURO were sent to Singapore, CD-ROM
collection was provided under EPO bilateral funds.
Singapore Patent agents training course
(13-17 May, Singapore)EPO Funding of two EU experts to act as tutors during the SEAD-FICPI course (see
also:  Philippines and Thaïland)
Singapore Training materials for
trademarks
(Singapore, 30 September-4
October, 2002)OHIM An expert mission to investigate and analyse the necessary training materials that
would be most suitable for IPOS in the short to medium term.  A recommendationreport will be prepared with current and future strategies for the TM  training unit.Also some training on TM  issues for the IPOS trainers will be given.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 9EC-CHINA IPR CO-OPERATION PROGRAMME
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organising agencies Description
China EU-China IPR co-operation
programmeEC initiative, implemented
by EPO
In co-operation with
OHIM and  with various
Chinese agencies:
MOFTEC, StateIntellectual PropertyOffice (SIPO),Trademark Office (TMO)National Copyright
Administration of China
(NCAC),Supreme Peoples' Court(SPP),Technical Supervision
Bureau (TSB),
Ren Min University,Provincial Level TradeAdministrators andLawyers.• Preparation of TRIPS Compliance Review (November 2001).  A
series of analyses assessing the compliance of key Chineseintellectual property laws with the TRIPs Agreement wasconducted by European and Chinese experts (late 2001-early2002)
• Expert assessment of IPR enforcement on the provincial level, and
impact on trade and new investments in Shanghai, Hangzhou,Chongqing and Lanzhou (August 2001)
• Workshop on IPR Enforcement strategies for state owned and
private enterprises in Chengdu (29-30 November 2001)
• Fellowships on judicial interpretation (2 fellows attended Trinity
College Dublin law School – IPR department from 1 July to 30August 2001 and 2 others the Max Planck Institute from 1September to 25 October 2001)
• Training for IP trial chamber justices in Harbin (August 2001)
attended by over 120 judges from several provinces in China.
• EU-China conference on the collective administration of
copyrights in Beijing on 4-6 September 2001
• Seminar on practical customs enforcement of IPR for over 100
customs officials from every province in China (Urumqi , 12-16September 2001)
• Support to TSB on protection of geographical indications– seminar
in Beijing on 27-31 August 2001 + 2 fellowships in Europe inSeptember 2001
• Seminar on European IP prosecution systems and techniques : 4
SPP participants took part in the EPO International AcademySymposium for Judges and Prosecutors on enforcement of
intellectual property rights and patent litigation on 10-14
September 2001 in Germany.
• Training of Trainers course in intellectual property law held by
Renmin University from 29 October to 16 November 2001,included more than 100 professors from every province in Chinaand representing over 75 Chinese universities.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 10
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organising agencies Description
• Case based training for IPR attorneys in China spread over from
July to September 2001 in three different provinces.
• Training seminar for  100 prosecutors on prosecution methods.
• Border enforcement strategies:  study visit in Europe from 24 May
to early June 2002.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 11EC-INDIA IPR CO-OPERATION PROGRAMME
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
India EU-India IPR co-operation
programmeEC initiative, implemented by
OHIM, in co-operation with
EPO• Fact-finding mission on the situation of the central and
regional offices + exchange of views with the Ministry ofCommerce & Industry,  in the field of all IP rights (17-25February 2001)
• Second mission to IP offices, the Ministry of Human
Resources Development associations for copyright, law
firms, customs, police and  high court ( 24 March-4 April)
• These two mission were intended to discuss the concrete
co-operation activities to be carried out in the frameworkof the programme.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 12
AUSTRIA
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Armenia, Bhutan, China, Cuba,
Moldova, Uruguay andVietnamTraining course on patent
information and documentation
June 2001Austrian Patent Office,
in co-operation withWIPOSeminar concerning search strategies and electronic
databases relating to patents.  (Principle of novelty andinventive step).
Audience :  Patent examiners of National Industrial Property
Offices
Armenia, Cambodia, Mongolia,
Trinidad and Tobago,  ZambiaTraining course on patent
information and documentationJune 2002Austrian Patent Office,
in co-operation withWIPOIntroduction in search strategies and electronic databases
relating to patents
Audience :  Patent examiners of National Industrial Property
Offices
Barbados, Brazil, Iran, Malawi,
Malaysia, the Philippines, the
Republic of Korea, ZimbabweJoint Seminar on patent law
June 2001WIPO and EPO in
co-operation with the
Austrian Patent OfficeSeminar concerning the fundamental principles of trademark
and patent law, international developments in this area,
search strategies and database, relating to patents.
Audience :  Patent examiners and legal Officers of National
Patent Offices.
China 12th Conference of the mixed
Chinese-Austrian Working
Group on Questions of
Industrial Property ProtectionBeijing,  April 2002Austrian Patent Office Lectures and workshops concerning the granting of patents
and nullity procedures.
Audience :  Officials from the Patent Office of China
China Training courses Austrian Patent Office Experts from the Austrian Patent Office carried out training
courses especially regarding utility model law, the grantingof patents and nullity procedures.
Audience :  Professionals from SIPO
Egypt, Oman, Malawi, Papua
New Guinea, Sudan, Zambia,ZimbabweJoint Seminar on patents and
trademarksJune 2002Austrian Patent Office
in co-operation with WIPOand EPOSeminar concerning the protection of trademarks,
biotechnological inventions and online databases.
Audience :  Officials from national Ministries and Patent
Offices.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 13Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Georgia Seminar on trademark
protection
May 2002Austria Patent Office in
co-operation with WIPOPrinciples of European trademark law and similarity
examination.
Audience :  Intellectual Property Centre of Georgia.  Seminar
for trademark examiners.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 14
FINLAND
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Syria Study Visit of the Patent office
Finland, October 2001National Board of Patents and
Registration of Finland("Patent office") in co-operation with WIPOThe National Board of Patents and Registration of
Finland (hereinafter referred to as the Patent Office )provides training in co-operation with WIPO.  Thetraining  includes information about the system ofIntellectual Property Rights in general and especially in
the Nordic countries, as well as an introduction to the
organisation and functions of the Patent Office.  InOctober 2001 two officials from the  Ministry of Supplyand Home Trade of Syria visited the Patent Office
China Second Forum on Creativity and
Invention : A Better Future for
Humanity in the 21st Century
Beijing in May 2002.WIPO in co-operation with the
Government of ChinaThe Director General of Finland's Patent Office acted as
Forum Co-ordinator and speaker.
Asia and the Pacific Sri Lanka, June 2002 WIPO Director General of Finland's Patent Office lectured in a
WIPO Regional Training Course on Intellectual Propertyfor Developing Countries of Asia and the Pacific in Sri
Lanka in June 2002.
Brunei, Cambodia, Ivory Coast,
Ethiopia, Pakistan, PhilippinesTraining Course on Copyright
and related rights
(November 26  to December 5,
2001) Ministry of Education and
Culture + Kopiosto (JointCopyright Organisation)  The Ministry of Education organised and financed
together with the Finnish Copyright Society and FinnishCopyright Organisations this  Practical Training Course .  The participants were provided with an introduction to
the Finnish and Nordic solutions concerning copyright
and neighbouring rights legislation, collectiveadministration of rights and questions relating toenforcement.  One of the objectives was also to provide an overall view
of the recent developments in the field of copyright
legislation in the European Union.
NB:  Extensive multilateral cooperation activities have taken pla ce within the framework of the WIPO training programmes for ci vil servants from DC and LDC Member
Countries.  As regards bilateral cooperati on, several delegations from DCs have vis ited relevant authorities in Finland and rec eived financial support as well as training in the
field of IPRs and enforcement.  Finland has also continued to assist and support Russia to create a new and effective industria l property rights system.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 15GERMANY
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Armenia Federal Patent Court
 + GTZ (agency for technicalcooperation)A visit to Germany lasting several days by an Armenian
delegation on the 29
th of March 2001, of which half a day
was spent at the Federal Patent Court.
The subjects of the meeting were: status and function of
the Federal Patent Court within the German court system,
the national system of protection of industrial property inGermany, how the national system is integrated intointernational systems, which aspects of national andinternational protection of industrial property could taketop priority for Armenia.
Audience  : The seven members of the delegation were
drawn from various State institutions (Parliament, Justice
Ministry, Patent Office), from the Armenian CopyrightAssociation and from an international law firm in
Armenia.
Bosnia and Herzegovina Seminar on Economic Law
(Mostar, June 2002)German Foundation for
International Legal Co-operation(GFILC) + Justice Ministriesof Bosnia and HerzegovinaOn 28 and 29 June 2002, the German Foundation and the
Justice Ministries of the Federation of Bosnia andHerzegovina and the Republika Srpska  conducted a joint
seminar on the subject of "current developments ineconomic law" in Mostar.  Within the framework of thisseminar, speakers from Bosnia and Herzegovina presented
the new statute on copyright law of the entire state of
Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the new statute onindustrial property of the entire state of Bosnia andHerzegovina;  a judge from the Federal Patent Court gavea talk on European standards in the field of protection ofindustrial property.
China Exchange of experts for the
promotion of the Patent System
in China(2001, in Germany and China)GPTO In 2001, there was an active exchange of experts of GPTO
and the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's
Republic of China (SIPO), within the framework of the co-operation measures, financed by the Reconstruction LoanCorporation (KfW).  Four SIPO study groups with three tosix participants each visited the German Patent and TradeMark Office in Munich and Jena, the Federal Patent Court,
the Technical Information Centre in Berlin and the FederalIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 16
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Printing Office in Berlin to attend training in the fields of
patent information, topography, biotechnology, utility
models and industrial designs.
The highlights of activities were the mutual visits of the
heads of the two offices.
A delegation of three, Vice-President Hammer and
representatives of industry, visited SIPO, gatheringinformation on the current information technology inChina and delivered papers on the "Exploitation of patentinformation in industry".  The Vice-President of theGerman Patent and trademark Office presented the
German DEPATIS patent information system.  Following
a symposium, jointly organised by the German Patent andTrade Mark Office and the European Patent Office (EPO),where the new revised Chinese Patent Law was presented,the Deputy Commissioner of SIPO also visited the GPTO
for talks with the office management.
Several German experts visited China for lectures.  The
mission of an expert in the field of software protection isparticularly worth mentioning.  He presented the currentpractice regarding the patenting of software to a large
expert audience.
The project, financed by KfW was concluded at the end of2001, but a follow-up project in co-operation with SIPO isexpected.
China Experts meetings GPTO - A delegation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was
briefed on the tasks of the German Patent and trademarkOffice and the patent grant procedure in particular.
- In May 2002, a six-member delegation of the Chinese
trade mark office visited the Munich Trade MarkDepartment and was briefed on examination practicerelating to three-dimensional marks and colour marks.
Croatia Participation to a Seminar on
collective administration of
copyright and related rightsState Intellectual Property
Office of the Republic of
CroatiaIn March 2002, the State Intellectual Property Office of the
Republic of Croatia organised a seminar in Zagreb, where
the Chairman of the Copyright Arbitration Board at theIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 17Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
(Zagreb, March 2002) German Patent and Trade Mark Office presented the
German system of collective administration of copyright
and related rights.
Georgia Training on patent search &
examinationWIPO + GPTO Within the scope of a training programme financed by
WIPO, the German Patent and Trade Mark Officedelegated an expert to the Georgian Intellectual PropertyOffice (SAKPATENTI) for running a one-week trainingon search and examination for patent examiners.
Macedonia Legislative advice to IPPO
(Macedonian Industrial property
protection office)GTZ + GPTO Based on a contract with GTZ on assistance for the
Eastern-European country in industrial property matters,
the German Patent and trademark Office provided supportto IPPO also in 2001.  Co-operation focused on thedevelopment of Macedonian patent legislation, which wasexamined by German experts writing commentaries on thedraft laws of the Macedonian Office.  This work was
finished in time so that it has meanwhile been possible to
present the draft laws to the Macedonian parliament foradoption.
A study group of four IPPO experts visited the German
Patent and Trade Mark Office for a training in the fields of
trade mark examination, industrial design examination,patenting practice in the areas of chemistry/ biotechnologyand software protection.  Until the end of 2002, furthertraining measures will be organised and the laws for whichcommentaries were already written will be brought into
line with EU standards.
Mongolia Seminar
July 2001The Mongolian Patent Office,
the Mongolian StateUniversity and the MongolianTechnical University,representatives of the
Mongolian judiciary and the
Mongolian female lawyers'association.At the end of July 2001, participation of a judge of the
Federal Patent Court as an expert and speaker on Germanand international trademark law at a two-day seminar inUlan Bator.
Russia Advisory activities GFILC In October 2001 there was a seminar on German and
European patent and trade mark law at the Russian PatentAgency (Rospatent) in Moscow.  The German experts inIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 18
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
attendance were a presiding judge of the Federal Patent
Court and a representative of Dresden Technical
University.
A working visit by judges of the Higher Arbitration Court
of the Russian Federation also took place in October 2001at the Federal Patent Court in Munich.
In November 2001 a judge of the Federal Patent Court
travelled to St. Petersburg in order to participate as aspeaker in a seminar on patent law at St. Petersburg LawSchool.
Gulf Cooperation Council Training on patent search &
examinationGPTO As agreed with the Director General of the Patent Office of
the Co-operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf,the German Patent and trademark Office provided support
for training in the field of patent examination.  Three
patent examiners from Saudi Arabia stayed in Munich inJune 2002 for a practical training in search andexamination.
Thailand Training for the strengthening
of the Industrial Property
System in the Kingdom of
Thailand(October 2001 in Germany)GTZ with GPTO Five staff member the Thai Department of Intellectual
Property (DIP), among them the Head of the Patents
Division, came to Germany in October 2001.  The group
visited the patent information centres in Munich,Nuremberg and Stuttgart learning about their workingpractices and participating in an extensive "training on thejob".  The training participants came from the patentinformation centres in the north, south and north-east of
Thailand, which had been established with the assistance
of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office.  This lastmeasure of the co-operation project provided a valuablesupport for DIP.
Audience :  Members of the Thai Department of Intellectual
Property (DIP)
Vietnam WIPO + GPTO In 2002, the German Patent and trademark Office
organised again a seminar for patent experts fromdeveloping countries in co-operation with WIPO.  Thetwo-week training focused on individual training on thejob with patent examiners.  In addition, some participants
were thoroughly briefed on organisation and tasks of theIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 19Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Office, in particular IP gran ting procedures (patents, trade
marks, utility models) and patent information and
documentation.  One of them came from Vietnam.
Mexico, MoldovaMongolia, PeruPhilippines,Russian FederationTaiwan
Thailand, Ukraine
United Arab EmiratesUzbekistanVietnamYugoslaviaExchange of literature GPTO Patent specifications and other publications are at present
being exchanged with these countries.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 20
ITALY
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Non-specific countries/Regions University specialisation
courses on IP
Since 2000Directorate General for Co-
operation of the Ministry ofEconomic Affairs in co-operationwith WIPOSpecialisation courses given by Junior Professional
Officer of the WIPO in the University of Torino forpost-graduates in IP,  for which half of the posts wereopen for students of the developing countries.  Duringthis 3
rd year approx. 40 participants selected by the
Italian government + WIPO based on the aid programs
with the development countries are offered a Masterscourse.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 21PORTUGAL
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Cape Verde Legislative advice
(March 2002)National Industrial Property
Institute of Portugal (INPI)Draft Industrial Property Rules of Cape Verde -
Legal opinion over the new Cape Verde Law onIndustrial Property
Angola, Cape Verde, GuineaBissau, Mozambique, S Tome ePrincipe, BrazilSeminar on "Industrial property
and the PCT"
(Lisbon, 17 December 2001)INPI + WIPO The objective was to give participants an exhaustive
explanation about Industrial Property in general andabout the PCT in particular.
Audience :  All PALOP Heads of IP Offices, IP
attorneys, representatives of Industry and
representatives of the UIPP (Units for IndustrialProperty Promotion), CPLP (Community ofPortuguese Speaking Countries)
Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea
Bissau, Mozambique, S.Tome e
Principe, BrazilMeeting  on IPR in the
framework of the Community of
Portuguese Speaking Countries(CPLP)
(Lisbon, 18 December 2001)INPI The meeting intended to be a first step of a new co-
operation framework to be implemented between
Portuguese speaking countries.  The objective was toshare experiences and information between theCommunity, as well as to define a co-operationstrategy for the future in the IP field, involving also
WIPO in this process.
Audience :  All PALOP Heads of IP offices,
Representatives of CPLP, WIPO,  representatives
from Brazil.
S. Tomé e Principe and Brazil Training course in Industrial
Property
(Lisbon, 2 weeks, June 2002)INPI and WIPO Training course in the areas of patents, trademarks
and Information/Documentation
Audience :  IP officials
Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea
Bissau, Mozambique, S.Tome ePrincipe, BrazilWIPO's Academy
(from June 2002)WIPO (in co-operation with INPI) Support to WIPO's Distance Learning Courses in
Portuguese with Portuguese tutoring
Audience :  IP Officials
Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea
Bissau, Mozambique, S.Tome e
PrincipeSupply of computer equipment INPI in co-operation with EPO Reinforcement of technical competence of the IP
offices in these countries in the computer technology
field, in order to work the available information in
the IP Field.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 22
S. Tomé e Principe and Brazil Training in copyright Copyright office of Portugal in
co-operation with WIPOThe objective was to give all participants an
exhaustive explanation about copyright in general
and the collective management societies in particular
NB:  PALOP = African Portuguese Speaking Countries.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 23SPAIN
Beneficiary  country Title and date of even t Organizing agency Description
Latin America Course on the legal,
administrative and economicaspects of industrial property
8-19 0ctober 2001Oficina Española de Patentes y
Marcas (OEPM – Spanish Officefor Patents and Trademarks)Training in industrial property for experts and senior
officials of the intellectual property offices in LatinAmerica
Various Latin American
countriesSeminar on patent search and
examination in Madrid
6-10 May 2002OEPM in conjunction with
OMPI/ EPO
(European Patent Office)Seminar on the technical aspects of patent search and
examination procedures
Various Latin American
countriesCooperation projects
2001OEPM Projects for cooperation between administrative
departments for granting intellectual property rights
Guatemala and other LatinAmerican countriesVisits of experts on intellectual
property
2001-02OEPM Training courses for trademark examiners in Central
America
Latin American countries CIBIT Programme
Cooperation with Latin Americaon international patent searches
2002OEPM Development of use of Spanish in international search
procedures, improvement of training for examiners ininternational searches for international applicationsunder the PCT.
Start of activities with Mexico, enlisting of a Mexican
patent examiner
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil,Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico,Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay,Peru, Uruguay, VenezuelaBilateral cooperation
programme with the intellectualproperty offices of LatinAmerica
2001OEPM Transfer of technology, exchange of documentation
and material on intellectual property and technicalassistance with computer systems
China, Russia, Moldova,MoroccoBilateral cooperation
programme with intellectualproperty offices in variouscountries
2001OEPM Transfer of technology, exchange of documentation
and material on intellectual property and technicalassistance with computer systemsIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 24
Beneficiary  country Title and date of even t Organizing agency Description
Brazil Travelling OMPI/OEPM/INPI
forum on the impact of the
Patent Cooperation Treaty
30 July to 10 August 2001OEPM Joint seminar on the Patent Cooperation Treaty
Brazil Third Latin American meeting
on the dissemination ofinformation on patents
3-4 July 2002OEPM Participation in workshops held for the purpose and
setting-up of a stand to disseminate its activities andinformation technology products
Brazil Regional seminar on
information technology in theindustrial property sphere andthe Patent Cooperation Treaty
1-2 July 2002OEPM in conjunction with
OMPI/EPOSeminar to promote the PCT and further the
dissemination of technological information.Presentation of the cooperation project betweenOEPM/OMPI/EPO for the electronic publication ofLatin American patent applications on the Internet.
China Memorandum of Understanding
with China
17 January 2001OEPM Cooperation and collaboration between the Chinese
and Spanish offices in order to improve the industrialprotection system through scientific and technicalexchange and the sending of expert assessors
China Visits by experts for training
2001 and 2002OEPM - Delegation of the Chinese intellectual property office.
Training in data processing and management of the
granting of patents.  Computerisation projects (10-19
December 2001)- Practical training in three-dimensional and colourtrademarks, from the point of view of the distinctivesigns department and also that of the resources unit (3-4 June 2002)
Colombia Seminar by the OMPI for the
Andean countries on observance
of intellectual property rights atborders
10-12 July 2002General Sub-directorate for
Customs ManagementAssistance in border control.
Officials' work in the customs area and border
procedures.General workshop on the application of measures atborders and in the administrative, civil and penal areas.
Ecuador Bilateral memorandum with the
Ecuador Patents Office
20 September 2001OEPM Exchange of technical documentation, cooperation in
joint activities and collaboration on international
searches under the CIBIT ProgrammeIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 25Beneficiary  country Title and date of even t Organizing agency Description
El Salvador Bilateral memorandum with the
El Salvador Patents Office
20 September 2001OEPM Exchange of technical documentation, cooperation on
joint activities and collaboration in international
searches under the CIBIT Programme
Mexico Visits by experts for training
24-25 June 2002OEPM Delegates of the Mexican Institute for Industrial
Property.Familiarisation with the organisation of the OEPM.Activities connected with dissemination, promotion
and statistics.
Morocco Technical assistance
2001OEPM Technical assistance in procedures for granting
intellectual property rights and administrativemanagement.
Panama Bilateral memorandum with the
Panama Patents Office
18 April 2002OEPM Exchange of technical documentation, cooperation in
joint activities and collaboration on internationalsearches under the CIBIT Programme
Panama Memorandum of understanding
18 April 2002OEPM Project for cooperation between intellectual property
offices
Russia Visits by experts for training
13 June 2002OEPM Training in intellectual property topics
Uruguay Visit by IP Director
30 May 2002OEPM Working meeting with the Directors of the OEPMIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 26SWEDEN
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and
UgandaBIOEARN, Biotechnology
policy capacity building underthe East African Regionalprogramme and ResearchNetwork for Biotechnology,Biosafety and Bi-technologypolicy DevelopmentBIOEARN in co-operation with
Sida (Swedish InternationalDevelopment co-operationAgency)Objective of the project is to strengthen national and
regional capacity within bi otechnology, biosafety and
biotechnology policy development and develop afoundation for regional collaboration among the fourEast African countries
Audience :  Scientists, policy makers, research
organisations, practitioners in the field, private sectors,
donors and media
The first two years (1999-2000) of the BIO-EARN
policy programme was implemented by African Centrefor Technology studies(ACTS).  Major components inactivities were regional training courses, regionalworkshops and internships.  The activities werefocused on :- biotechnology related to Intellectual PropertyProtection issues (such as implementing TRIPS,UPOV, emerging Sui generis regime/options andresearch collaboration agreements between BIO-EARNinstitutions in East Africa and Swedish public/privateinstitutions).- Access to and transfer of biotechnology (cost, barriersand institutional arrangements of biotechnologytransfer, trade implications of an international biosafetyprotocol)-Technology assessment (socio-economicconsiderations, user perspectives, ethical issues)The activities in 2001, consisted of  four nationalpolicy development workshops organised by thevarious Science and Technology Commissions in eachof the four countries.  In these workshops countryspecific biotechnology issues were discussed.
NB:  The assistance provided by Sweden is channelled through the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (SIDA) ,  in particular its Depar tment for Infrastructure
and Economic Co-operation (INEC).  In the area of technical co-operation and training, Sweden arranges contract-financed activi ties such as consultancy studies, competence
building and  institutional building projects including international courses.  Competence development and alliance co-operatio n within private industry and joining sectors is also an
important branch.   Sw edish officials also hold lectures, inter alia  in the framework of WIPO or EPO seminars.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 27Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Developing countries The biodiversity and biosafety
programmeSida and Third World Network
(TWN)Sida contributes to the work of the Third World
Network (TWN) on biosafety.  That is to strengtheningdeveloping countries knowledge in the area ofbiosecurity, biotechnology and biological diversity.
Audience  : Politicians in developing countries.
The program is focusing on establishing national
institutions and mechanisms to enable adequateimplementation of the Biosafety Protocol.  Thatincludes research into appropriate models and forms ofaccess and benefit-sharing arrangements (includingpolicies and laws) for developing countries at nationallevel, advice to policy makers in developing countriesin developing such national policies and laws,arrangements at international level (particularly theBiodiversity Convention and the InternationalUndertaking) that would assist developing countries toachieve the goals of equitable benefit-sharing andassisting developing countries in negotiations.  It alsoincludes monitoring trends in IPR regimes andpractices at national, regional and international levelsand analysing such trends for their potential effects onthe goals of equitable benefit sharing and biodiversityconservation and use.  And research into existing andevolving international IPR regimes and providingsuggestions on possible options in implementing suchregimes at national level, as well as in the review andpossible reform of such regimes, to make them more inline with the principles of equitable benefit-sharing andthe conservation and use of Biodiversity.
All this involves the building of research and
negotiating capacity of developing countries to bringforward their case and concrete proposals in variousrelevant international fora.  The Programme includestraining, workshops and capacity-building activitiesIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 28Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Developing countries Dialogues organised by
International Centre for Tradeand Sustainable Development(ICTSD).International Centre for Trade and
Sustainable Development(ICTSD) in co-operation withQuaker United Nations Office inGeneva and Quaker Peace &Services in LondonObjective :  Strengthening developing countries' ability
to understand the options for advancing their public
policy objectives through the implementation or reviewon the TRIPS Agreement and to strengthening theircapacity to negotiate in the TRIPS field.
Audience :  Representatives from developing countries
Five regional seminars or Multi-stakeholder Dialogues
took place.  The dialogues were held from November2000 to January 2002,  organised for a 2 day meetingperiod and included plenary sessions and smallworkshops.  Summaries of debates drafted byorganisers in co-operation with participants wereintended to feed back into an ongoing Geneva-basedprocess aimed at facilitating consensus building andcreative thinking for the review of TRIPS.
Developing Countries IPR and Sustainable
Development:  ImprovingDeveloping Country Analyticaland Negotiating CapacitiesInternational Centre for Trade and
Sustainable Development(ICTSD) in co-operation withSida, Quaker United NationsOffice in Geneva (QUNO) andUNCTADThe objective was the strengthening of DCs knowledge
about IPR and their capacity to negotiate in the TRIPSfield and to play an active role in internationalnegotiations.The project included two phases from December 2001until June 2002.  Phase 1 included regional seminarsabout Intellectual Property Rights in co-operation withQUNO.  Phase 2,  in co-operation with UNCTAD,included technical documentation and policy papersabout negotiations in the TRIPS field.  It also includedthe arrangement of the seminar "Global Forum onIPR's"
Developing countries, primarilyLDC'sCourse on Copyright Protection
and AdministrationSwedish Patent and Registration
Office and the Ministry of Justicein co-operation with SwedishInternational DevelopmentAgency, SidaAn international Intellectual Property Right copyright
course in Sweden.  For 20 persons during 10 workingdays, it mainly covered copyright administrationthrough collective management and copyrightlegislation as well as recent changes and trends ininternational treaties and procedures.
Developing countries Training course on Copyright
and Related Rights (Copyright2001)WIPO, the Government of
Sweden and SidaThe course was held in August 2000, 2001 and 2002
within the framework of WIPO training program.  Thecourse included, among other matters, technicalIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 29Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
training in the field of intellectual property,
information and implementation of the TRIPSagreement.  Twenty persons from developing countriesattended during ten days.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 30UNITED KINGDOM
Beneficiary country (ies) Title and date of the event Organis ing agency Description
Antigua, Barbados, Belarus,
Bhutan, China, Gambia, Ghana,
Mongolia, Tanzania, Ukraine,UzbekistanSeminar on Copyright and
related rights
26/11 – 7/12   2001The UK Copyright Directorate in
co-operation with BCC/WIPO &
UK Patent OfficeDelegations visit to discuss various issues on Copyright
and related rights.
China Joint Committee Meeting
between SIPO and UKPO
9-11/07/2001
2–13/12/2001The UK Patent Office in co-
operation with SIPO (funded bySIPO)-Meeting to discuss the progress on the Bilateral
Agreement on implementing Co-operative Activitiesand exchange of views on the latest initiatives takingplace in both offices.
-Follow-up meeting to discuss Bilateral Agreement and
to exchange information on e-commerce, examinertraining and recruitment and documentation
Audience :  High-level Delegation from SIPO
China Working level exchange on
industrial property
15-19/10/2001SIPO Delegation visit to discuss European developments
concerning patents, private applicants and AURILL
between the UKPO and SIPO
Audience :  Students, examiners, agents
China Study visit on Patent Protection
of Bio-technology
22 – 23/04/2002UKPO in co-operation with SIPO Study visit to discuss biotechnology training and
exchange views on protection systems.
Audience :  High level delegation from SIPO and China
Academy of Engineering
non-specific country/region TRIPS and development
Capacity Building ProjectDFID + ICTSD The project will produce a handbook giving an
independent assessment of the pros and cons ofdifferent negotiation strategies on TRIPS, a
comprehensive policy discussion paper case studies
and capacity building seminars.  It will be developedon a consultative basis with stakeholders.  This is toimprove the international system of rules governingIPRs in a way, which maximises the benefit to begained by developing countries and poor people.
Audience :  developing country officials.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 31
EUROPEAN  PATENT  OFFICE
D523 Munich, 17 September 2002
International Technical Cooperation JA/fo
Presentation of
the International Technical Cooperation Activities
 of the European Patent Office carried out in 2001 and 2002
(updated on 15/09/2002)IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 32
CONTENTS
A. INTRODUCTION
B. OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT IN 2001C. OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES FOR 2002 (UPDATED 15/09/02)
Attached: Financial TableIP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 33
A. INTRODUCTION
1. The European Patent Organisation is an Inter governmental Organisation, in charge of the
granting of European patents .
At present, 24 states are members of the organisation: all EU member States as well as Bulgaria,
Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovakia, Switzerland and Turkey .
Its executive body, the European Patent Office (EPO), with headquarters in Munich and branches
in The Hague, Berlin and Vienna, has a staff of 5.500 of which more than 3.000 scientists, engineers and
lawyers .  In 2001, the EPO received more than 160.000 patent applications.
2. At the Diplomatic Conference of Munich (1973), which ended with the signature of the
European Patent Convention, the delegates exp ressed their concern that a patent system as
fundamental factor for innovation and techni cal progress, should be available to all
countries of the world and unanimously adopted a Resolution on technical assistance.
This Resolution was confirmed during the first session of the Administrative Council of the
European Patent Organisation in 1977, thus laying the basis of the EPO's programme of technical
cooperation.
From the very beginning, the EPO started implementing an assistance programme making
available to developing countries the EPO's specific knowledge in the field of the patent granting
procedure (search, examination and documentation) and in the field of administration of a patent office.
Gradually, links ware established with countries in Asia and Latin America and, with some of
these countries, working programmes covering one to three years at a time were agreed upon.
3. Since the beginning of the nineties, change s within and outside the European Patent
Organisation have led to an important tran sformation, as well as to an extension of
technical cooperation activities.
The creation of the WTO (World Trade Organization) and, in relation to this, the coming into
force of TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Industrial Property Rights) has tremendously boosted the
importance of industrial property.
In line with the recommendations laid down in the Doha agenda, the EPO is increasing the
attention given to its technical cooperation projects.
4. The EPO acts as implementing agency for several projects in the field of Intellectual
Property which have been launched by the EC.
These projects as well as the technical cooperation projects the EPO has with its member States
and the JP-US-EPO Trilateral Cooperation are not mentioned in this documents.
B. OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT IN 2001
EPO's International Academy and International Section of CEIPI
The EPO's International Academy was created in 1997 to consolidate EPO's training activities
within one single structure to improve both the quality and the effectiveness of the training offered by the
EPO to outside trainees.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 34
In 2001, 18 courses have been organised for trainees coming from more than 80 states .  Besides
patent and trade mark office staff, patent attorneys, judges, as well as governmental officials and
researchers, have been trained.
Particular mention should be made here to the Symposium "Enforcement of IP Rights and Patent
Litigation" which took place in September and counted on the participation of more than 150 judges from
all over the world .  This symposium was supported by the EC, various member States, EPI and Max-
Plank Institute.
As part of its cooperation programme with the Strasbourg based Centre for Intellectual Industrial
Property Studies (CEIPI), the office arranged for basic training as well as for training of future patent
attorneys in Europe.
For the second time, a congress on IP law has been organised in the framework of EIPIN
(European Intellectual Property Institute Networking) in Alicante (Magista Lucentius).
In April 2001, CEIPI organised, with the assistance of EPO and EPI, a seminar "Revision of the
Munich Convention on the European Patent" which was attended by more than 200 participants.
Automation Projects
During the year under review, a major technical redevelopment in order to rewrite the "Common
Software" (CS) in the JAVA language has been launched .  The CS, a software package used for the
administration of the complete life cycle of patents and trademarks, originally designed for and used by
states in Central and Eastern Europe, is also used by some of the EPO's member States, the Eurasian
Patent Office and Malaysia.
This year has also seen the launch of the "POLite" Project in the African Regional Industrial
Property Organisation (ARIPO) .  The concept of POLite is to offer a set of tools on a CD-ROM ‘toolbox'
which includes draft specifications, technical standards, WIPO standards, presentations and even
software packages and demonstrations that could form the basis for automating a patent office with
limited financial and technical resources, and where the local private technical infrastructure is not
sufficiently well developed to support a sophisticated product such as the CS.
Cooperation with Asia
Under the bilateral programme, besides training and expert missions, mention should be made of
the support by the EPO to the SEAD (South East Asian Drafting Course for future patent attorneys) co-
organised by FICPI and Singapore and of the regi onal seminar in the field of telecommunication
organised in Malaysia in cooperation with the International Property Training Centre (IPTC).
China
In 2001 , as usual, most of the activities foreseen were devoted to training of SIPO's staff.
The revised Chinese Patent Law , approved by the People's Congress in the year 2000, entered
into force in July 2001, together with revised implementing regulations .  Three symposia  took place in
October 2001 (Munich, Rome, London) to introduce the new law to the European public .  The symposia
were very well attended, mainly by patent professionals and representatives from the industry, and were
co-organized with the national patent offices of the host countries.
The successful transfer of the EPOQUE  technology to SIPO in 1998 has enabled SIPO to carry
out the major part of prior art searches on line.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 35
Since July this year, the EPO and SIPO are directly connected and can exchange data by a
secured PATENT link .
Latin America
The major co-operation event in 2001 regarding Latin America was the Meeting of Heads of
Latin American Industrial Property Institutes jointly organized with the OEPM (Spanish Patent Office) .
As a result of the meeting the co-operation needs and activities for the region were redefined.
The success of the second ELDIPAT celebrated in again Mexico consolidated the encounter as a
reference event on patent information America .  Among many novelties, the presentation of the Espace
Brazil prototype jointly developed with the EPO was one of the most celebrated .  The excellent
relationships with the IMPI Mexican were confirmed with the signature of a Memorandum of
Understanding between EPO and IMPI.
The "traditional" co-operation activities like expert missions on search and examination, study
visits and the assistance to seminars of the EPO's International Academy, continued at the same level asin previous years
.  As result of a study visit on automation, Colombia is seriously evaluating the
implementation of the Common Software.
Africa and the Middle East
In 2001, the main activities have been:
EPO Regional Forum in Casablanca, 27-28 April 2001 (in co-operation with INPI, France and
OMPIC, Morocco): experts from 25 countries came together to discuss about "Automation projects and
computer-based information for small and medium-sized patent offices" .  The success of this event
opened the way for many other co-operation activities (in Tunisia, Egypt, South Africa, etc.).
EPO-ARIPO Roving seminar in Zambia, Namibia and Lesotho, from 9-28 August,
EPO-ARIPO-UKPO Sub-regional Conference  in Gaborone, Botswana, 15-17 October (with the
support of WIPO and UPOV), on "Modernization of patent offices and particular challenges of the
industrial property system in the region".
The Commonwealth of Independent States and Mongolia
Main activities have been
- specific training in biotechnology as well as the International Seminar on Biotechnology
held in June at Rospatent premises.
- EPO's first seminar in Azerbaijan (IP awareness)- various study visits (Armenia, Ukraine, Tajikistan) to the EPO.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 36
C. OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES FOR 2002 ( UPDATED ) 15/09/02)
5. China
It is foreseen that at the end of the year 53 staff from SIPO will have participated in 7 seminars
and study visits in Europe ;  a high level symposium on computer related inventions has been organised in
June.
A group of senior examiners from SIPO have been invited to share experience with EPO
examiners .  Several expert missions have been carried out in China and a training seminar for new
examiners, with participants from all over the world, has been organised jointly with SIPO at their
training centre in Beijing in July 2002.
Regarding EPOQUE, migration to JAVA will be completed this year.
6. Asia
Highlights here are:
- Organizing of a meeting for on patent information ASEAN countries, in Singapore,
similar to the meetings which were organised in Mexico (2000 and 2001) and in Rio
(July 2002) .  The meeting, called "EAPIC" (European-ASEAN Patent Information
Conference) took place in September in Singapore with more than 200 participants.
- Relaunching of ASEANPAT CD-ROMs
- Continuation of a specific programme with Vietnam
7. Latin America
As a result of the Regional Meeting of Heads of Latin American Offices, needs and activities in
the region have been redefined.
In 2002, the shift towards new actions aimed at the promotion of the patent system and the use of
patent information and the harmonisation of the La tin American Offices with world standards and
procedures has continued .  The third edition of ELDIPAT jointly or ganized with INPI Brazil, took place
in Rio with more than 150 participants from all over Latin America.
A quite important development of cooperation ac tivities with the Andean Community is on its
way.
8. Africa
Bi-annual frameworks of co-operation have been established with all relevant IP Offices, both in
Africa and in the Arab states .  The frameworks are built around a central strategic idea, which has been
agreed with each involved IP Office,  all activities serving this main idea .  The activities concern mainly:
- modernisation projects (e.g., SW administration systems, digitalisation of patent
documentation and CD-ROM production)
- developing new tools for making patent information in practice available locally and
regionally, not only to the IP Offices, but also to the potential user community
(universities, research centres, industry)IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 37
- reviewing the training delivered to the staff of the IP Offices in order to adapt to the new
strategy and inclusion of new target groups, such as policy makers and persons
influencing public opinion, e.g. journalists .
9. Countries of Central and Eastern Europe
Efforts have been concentrated on those countries where our cooperation has been less intensive
in the recent years i.e. Bosnia-Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, and Croatia.
Two seminars in Belgrade have been organised, one on examination addressed to the staff of the
Patent Office and a second on awareness addressed to government officials, industrialists, and students of
law schools.
A seminar on European Patent Law took place in  Riga for the attention of students of law
schools.
Additional seminars have been organised in Poland, Slovenia and Romania.
10. Commonwealth of Independent States and Mongolia (ICON project)
Seminars were held in the Ukraine, Moscow, Moldova, and in recognition of the 10th
Anniversary of Sakpatenti, also in Georgia .  The EPO worked closely with EAPO (Eurasian Patent
Office) and ROSPATENT on the development of their automation systems and continued co-operation
with Belarus regarding MIMOSA.
Assistance was given to Azerbaijan and Armenia to produce information material both to inform
foreign investors, as well as to increase awareness at home.IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 38
Planning of Technical Co-o peration Activities in 2002
Art. 3310 - Technical Co-operation with Non-Contracting States
Unit Main Activities Planned
2001 (in DM
'000)Executed
2001 (in DM
'000)Planned
2002 (in
EUR '000)Budget 2002 (in EUR ' 0
Peco Training 200 182 102 0
Automation 300 156 104 0
Divers 55 98 10 0
Mission 30 14 0 0
Investments CS / FYROM 50 3 35 0
ESP@CENET 165 41 59 0
Others 600 583 255 0
Accession Actions 00 8 0
Development of PRECES 10 10 0
Procurement of CD Collections 80 44 40 0
Mission by EPO Staff in CEEC's 57 35 20 0
Other Training/Technical
assistance295 394 168 0
Miscellaneous 158 100 19 0
Total 1,100 921 461 575
Budget 2001 1,074
China Training 290 235 149 0
Automation 150 0 0 0
Others 300 320 116 0
Expert Missions 56 48 41 0
Coordination Missions/Visits to
EPO70 63 39 0
IP Documentation 22 17 7 0
Training 102 173 24 0
Miscellaneous 50 19 5 0
Total 740 555 265 330
Budget 2001 681
Latin America Training 288 248 173 0
Automation 70 8 70 0
ESP@CENET 10 0 5 0
Jouve Scan 10 0 0 0
Miscellaneous 00 15 0
Investments CS 50 8 50 0
Others 580 541 257 0
Expert Missions/Events 515 508 192 0
CD-ROM and Awareness
Products65 33 32 0
Miscellaneous 00 33 0
Total 938 797 500 500
Budget 2001 908
ICON Training 198 175 126 0
Automation 00 0 0
Others 693 559 374 0
Symposia 280 287 147 0
Language Courses 140 96 36 0
Literature & Periodicals 45 68 30 0
CD-ROM Subscriptions 73 32 25 0IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 39
Unit Main Activities Planned
2001 (in DM
'000)Executed
2001 (in DM
'000)Planned
2002 (in
EUR '000)Budget 2002 (in EUR ' 0
Expert Missions 80 54 52 0
On-Line Connection 23 7 0
Miscellaneous 73 19 77 0
Total 891 734 500 500
Budget 2001 865
Asia Training 429 267 115 0
(Except China) Automation 00 0 0
Others 668 513 335 0
Expert Missions 50 141 112 0
Miscellaneous 33 0 0
Events 224 330 153 0
Documentation 251 39 70 0
Actions with WIPO 140 0 0 0
Total 1,097 780 450 450
Budget 2001 849
Arab/African Training 300 263 148 0
Countries Automation 200 184 125 0
Common Software - POLITE 100 0 95 0
JouveScan Installations 60 0 0 0
Missions EPO 30 0 20 0
Miscellaneous 10 0 10 0
Others 350 206 184 0
Missions & Study Visits 00 50 0
Patent Information 00 34 0
Training 00 49 0
WIPO 00 18 0
Miscellaneous 00 34 0
Africa General & Various 15 17 0 0
Algeria 01 4 0 0
ARIPO 81 111 0 0
CRAT 14 1 0 0
South Africa 71 1 0 0
OAPI 57 10 0 0
CD-ROM & Patent Information 24 15 0 0
Arab General & Various 22 5 0 0
Morocco 60 15 0 0
Tunisia 32 0 0 0
Egypt 25 3 0 0
CD-ROM & Patent Information 13 4 0 0
Total 850 653 457 375
Budget 2001 837
Miscellaneous Training 350 169 300 0
Distance learning 00 80 0
Publications (brochure, inform.
sheets)55 54 65 0
Web-based training prod. 235 0 0 0
Coord. missions of staff 40 7 18 0
Miscellaneous 20 108 137 0
Miscellaneous Automation 580 870 402 0
Maintenance activities 100 165 67 0
Future devel. & studies 150 0 15 0
CS agenda improvements 90 95 0 0
CS Java 0 349 300 0
CS General Financial Interface 0 128 0 0
CS brochure 20 21 0 0IP/C/W/377/Add.7
Page 40
Unit Main Activities Planned
2001 (in DM
'000)Executed
2001 (in DM
'000)Planned
2002 (in
EUR '000)Budget 2002 (in EUR ' 0
Missions EPO 30 24 0 0
Missions contract. & experts 40 57 0 0
POLite toolbox development 100 0 0 0
User meetings 10 12 0 0
Training costs 20 12 0 0
Miscellaneous 20 7 20 0
Misc. Department Expenses 01 4 50 0
Total 930 1,053 752 650
Budget 2001 1,186
Totals on Article 3310
Planning 6,546 5,493 3,385
Budget 6,400 3,380
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