MUNICH - The European Patent Office (EPO) and Argentina's National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) continue to deepen their cooperation, with a focus on supporting innovation through joint initiatives, a press release stated by EPO.
EPO President António Campinos held an online meeting with the Director General of INPI Argentina Carlos Gallo.
The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to review the current status of the Reinforced Partnership agreement between the two offices, which in 2019 became the first of its kind to be signed in Latin America. Discussing the next steps in their co-operation, the partners agreed on the benefits of renewing the agreement. Further exchanges reviewed progress made to date with their current joint work plan, which was adopted in November 2024.
The EPO expressed its appreciation of the collaboration with INPI Argentina, reaffirming the shared goal of enhancing the capacity of Argentina’s IP system to support national innovation. INPI Argentina emphasized the benefits of its agreement with the EPO, highlighting its use of EPO search and examination products. Discussions also explored ways to further strengthen the bilateral co-operation that the offices have developed together during the course of many years of successful collaboration.
The EPO's Reinforced Partnership program builds on the Office's longstanding technical co-operation initiatives and seeks to establish ambitious, long-term collaborations with intellectual property offices worldwide in strategic and technical areas of mutual interest. The program aims to enhance and strengthen the global patent system by expanding the network of partner offices that systematically utilize EPO work products, tools, and practices, thereby boosting the capacity, efficiency and quality of the patent-granting process. By fostering close collaboration, the program creates improved conditions for companies and inventors filing patents internationally. It also supports local innovation by empowering partner offices to deliver higher-quality services to local applicants, enabling them to better compete in the global economy.