Many companies are, or want to be commercially active in various international markets. Thus, you should always consider having an international perspective on your patent portfolio. Global patents do not exist, even though the media would have us believe this. Rather, patents provide national rights which safeguard commercially exclusive rights for each individual market.
     Luckily, there are well-established international patent systems which make it relatively easy for you to acquire commercially exclusive rights for markets of your interest. Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is a popular system that comprises a novelty search and provides an evaluation of whether an invention is patentable. This will be used as a guide in subsequent national examinations. One advantage of the PCT system is that when you file your application you do not have to decide in which countries you will apply for patents at a later stage.
     A European patent application (EP) means that you can simultaneously apply for a patent in over thirty European countries. If you are targeting 3-5 countries, it is worth using such an application instead of applying in separate countries.
     Our professional team includes many European patent attorneys who are qualified to process EP applications and act as your representatives before the European Patent Office, EPO, in Munich. We also have considerable experience in handling PCT applications. Last but not least, our global network of attorneys enables us to handle patent-related issues in most countries.
     Please contact any of our patent attorneys for further information about what we can do for you in this area.