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1. EPO and CIPO make their PPH fast-track programme permanent

   The EPO and the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) have announced that the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programme between the two offices became permanent on 6 January 2021.

2. Patent grants up 5.9% at IP5 offices in 2019

   The world's five largest IP offices granted 1.6 million patents in 2019, an increase of 5.9% on the previous year, according to the latest IP5 Statistics Report published earlier this week on the IP5 website.

3. EPO allows the taking of evidence by VICO

   The Administrative Council amends Rules 117 and 118 EPC to permit the hearing of parties, witnesses and experts by videoconference.

4. Impact of AI on patent system explored at EPO digital event

   The European Patent Office (EPO) conference "The role of patents in an AI driven world" came to a conclusion today. The two-day online event provided a platform to discuss artificial intelligence (AI), its impact on intellectual property (IP), and the potential benefits it could bring to patent offices.

5. EPO congratulates INPI Brazil on its 50th anniversary

   The National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil (INPI) celebrated its 50th anniversary on 11 December 2020, with messages coming from national and international organisations from around the world.

6. EPO-USPTO joint panel at CIP FORUM 2020

   EPO President António Campinos delivered a keynote speech yesterday (10 December), followed by a joint panel discussion with the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office Andrei Iancu, at the Center for Intellectual Property (CIP) FORUM 2020.

7. Innovation in smart connected objects accelerating fast worldwide, new patent data shows

   A study published today by the European Patent Office (EPO) shows that innovation in fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies has accelerated significantly worldwide.

8. Stepping up co-operation with the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI)

   Co-operation between the EPO and the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (OAPI) was on the agenda yesterday at the 60th session of OAPI's Administrative Council, held in Lomé, Togo and also virtually.

9. EPO, JPO and USPTO confirm their commitment to co-operation to address global challenges at 38th Trilateral conference

   The heads of the European Patent Office (EPO), Japan Patent Office (JPO) and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), known as the Trilateral offices, held their 38th annual meeting on 8 December 2020, hosted by the EPO.

10. EPO and CNIPA discuss future co-operation at annual meeting

    EPO President António Campinos and Commissioner of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) Shen Changyu discussed recent developments and future co-operation between the offices at their annual bilateral meeting today.