Controlling the Pace — Recent Changes in Patent Prosecution and Opposition in Europe

Time is money, and in this fast-paced world of evolving technology it is vital that the patent systems designed to protect inventions can keep up. Recent developments at the European Patent Office (EPO) now give users more flexibility and tools to help speed up European patent prosecution and opposition. In this webinar we will review these changes and highlight the different ways in which you can achieve grant of European patents more quickly. Equally, we will also outline how to prolong prosecution when it can be of strategic benefit. Changes in procedure and timelines for challenging applications and patents at the EPO will also be covered.

Discussion topics include:

• PCT direct
• Early entry into the European Phase
• Waivers
• Accelerated Prosecution (PACE)
• Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
• Third-party observations
• EPO oppositions

This webinar is the third segment of Finnegan’s summer 2016 series, “Moving Target or Opportunity: Strategic Considerations in Today’s Changing Patent Landscape.”

Moderator:

Ningling Wang

Speakers: 

Hazel Ford, Ph.D.
Leythem A. Wall

Date:

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Time:

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. India
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. China/Taiwan
3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Japan/Korea