European Cooperation

Cooperation with the European Patent Office and the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market

At the European level, the DPMA cooperates with the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM).

European Patent Office

The European Patent Office in Munich examines European patent applications and grants European patents. After grant, the European patent breaks up into a number of separate national patents ('bundle of patents'). It is actually possible to obtain patent protection in up to 40 European countries with one patent application. The basis is provided by the European Patent Convention. Presently, 38 member states are party to this convention. Roughly 7,000 staff are employed at the European Patent Office.

As a member of the German delegation at the Administrative Council and various committees and working groups of the European Patent Organisation the DPMA is deeply involved in shaping the development of the European patent system.

Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs)

The Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), located in Alicante (Spain), registers and manages Community trade marks and Community designs. The Community trade mark and the Community design give their owner a right that is uniformly valid in the European Union as a whole.

The Office for Harmonization is an EU agency with roughly 700 staff. Since the second year after its foundation, the OHIM has been self-financing.

Representatives of the EU member states, work together in the Administrative Council and the Budget Committee of the Office for Harmonization.

© 2013 Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt | Last updated 13/05/13