MUNICH - The Administrative Council of the European Patent Organization unanimously approved the new Strategic Plan (SP2028) for the European Patent Office (EPO). SP2028 will deepen the EPO’s commitment to sustainability. The plan is built upon five drivers and will use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to provide all stakeholders with a clear understanding of the progress made in each driver, according to the official website of EPO. 

Following the Council’s approval President Campinos said, “The last few years have shown us that SP2023 was the right plan at the right time. Now we are building further on those strong foundations and looking to the future with SP2028 as an evolved strategy, a continuation that retains similar strategic priorities while placing an even greater focus on sustainability.”

One goal: sustainability

SP2028 will focus on one goal: sustainability. The plan is underpinned by five drivers, retaining the elements that have served us well under SP2023:  

1. People – Focusing on sustainable engagement, attracting and developing talent, and supporting mobility and flexibility in physical and virtual homes and providing engaging workspaces.  
2. Technologies – Elevating the EPO’s capabilities with cutting-edge technologies that build a resilient infrastructure, drive digital transformation in the Patent Granting Process and corporate services, deliver excellence and leverage new technologies with the highest standards of IT security.   
3. Quality products and services – Delivering excellence throughout the Patent Granting Process (PGP) and improving on the high-quality and timeliness of its products and services. 
4. Partnerships – Collaborating closely with partners to increase quality and enhance the accessibility of the patent system for all, ensuring that innovation flourishes and that the patent system reaches its full potential for society.  
5. Financial sustainability – Safeguarding the EPO’s financial sustainability in uncertain times by monitoring the coverage of its liabilities and implementing measures to improve them

Tracking progress

Through a series of KPIs, stakeholders will be able to track and monitor progress as SP2028 is rolled out. The EPO will also report transparently on the plan’s implementation and provide its member states with a range of detailed publications. In addition, the EPO will continue to publish its annual reports with annexes that report on business areas such as quality and its people.