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epi patents
News 6 Dec 2017

NLO and epi

The Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) is the professional body representing all European Patent Attorneys. Currently the Institute has about 11,600 European Patent Attorneys as members coming from each of the 38 Contracting States of the European Patent Convention who work either in industry or in private practice.

epi is governed by a Council which is elected by the members of the respective national constituencies and by a Board elected by the Council, which includes its President. Sixteen Committees, including numerous subcommittees and working groups, are responsible for conducting the large array of tasks and assignments faced by the epi.

NLO patent attorneys have been active in epi for a long time. Last spring, Paul Clarkson and Maarten Ketelaars were elected as substitute members of the Dutch delegation in the epi-Council for the next period 2017-2020.

At the 83rd Council meeting on 18 November 2017, the Committee members were formally (re)elected. The following NLO attorneys will act as full members in one of the Commitees for the next period 2017-2020:

  • Ruurd Jorritsma in Pharmaceuticals group of the European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC)
  • Bart Swinkels in Committee on Biotechnological Inventions
  • Paul Clarkson in Litigation Committee (LitCom)
  • Hans Bottema in Professional Conduct Committee (PCC)
  • Maarten Ketelaars in European Patent Practice Committee (EPPC)