This October the European Patent Office will offer a two-day educational conference PCT at the EPO 2014. To learn more, and to register, go to the brochure page. This conference will take place at The Hague.
This is a sequel to the very successful PCT at the EPO 2013 which took place in 2013 in Munich. From the brochure page for PCT at the EPO 2014:
The event will consist of six sessions which will give participants the opportunity to get first-hand information and experience from experts on important aspects of filing and processing PCT applications with the EPO in all its capacities under the PCT. EPO experts and experienced patent attorneys will lead the sessions.
Furthermore, experts from other major patent offices (USPTO, JPO, SIPO) and patent attorneys experienced in the respective procedures will run sessions on specific aspects of entry into their national phases.
The EPO will introduce and give details of proposed new services such as supplementary international search, the second written opinion and top-up search in the Chapter II procedure, the new procedure regarding non-unity upon entry into the European phase and utilisation of PCT work in the PCT-PPH framework.
The first day of the event will conclude with a panel discussion on key developments in the PCT, followed by a cocktail reception and a networking dinner.
The session “National phase at the USPTO” will have two presenters — Michael Neas of the USPTO and myself. I will also participate in the panel discussion on key developments in the PCT.