Automatic Electronic Document Exchange Comes Into Force Between EPO And KIPO

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

02 July 2007

The European Patent Office announced last week that from July 1st (Sunday), it will be implementing automatic electronic exchange of priority documents with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), for first filings at KIPO and first filings at the EPO.

To qualify for this service, which is free and not subject to any formalities on the part of the applicant, the European patent application or the Korean national patent or utility model application claiming priority from a first filing in the other office must have been filed on or after 1 July 2007.

On the EPO side currently, such exchange is limited to priority documents originating from first filings at the EPO.

The European Patent Office explained that:

"It is intended to extend such automated priority document exchange to priority documents emanating from first filings in the national patent offices of the EPC Contracting States, which are already contained in the electronic files of the EPO, once this can be done technically seamlessly and without further formalities on the part of applicants. Applicants will be advised in due time as to when this additional service will be offered by the EPO."

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