San Marino Becomes the 36th European Patent Organization Member

MUNICH - The Republic of San Marino has acceded to the European Patent Organization, according to the European Patent Office (EPO). This means that as of July 2009, it is possible to file for patent protection for San Marino through a European patent.

The other contracting states of the European Patent Organization are all of the 27 EU member states plus Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.

"From seven founding states in 1977 to 36 members today, the Organization has proved a success story of international co-operation, and a boon for the European economy," President of the EPO, the executive arm of the European Patent Organization, Alison Brimelow said.

Apart from the Organization’s members, its observer states, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, also recognize European patent applications and patents on their territory.

European patents are therefore valid in 39 countries and reach a market of about 570 million people ─ making it the largest transnational patent system in the world.

"Patents provide a strong incentive to innovate and invest in bringing an idea to market. More and more individual inventors, companies and research institutions are realizing the importance and economic impact of patenting their inventions," Brimelow added.

The EPO applies a centralized procedure to examine European patent applications for the Organization’s member states. Applicants can obtain patent protection in as many of the member and observer countries as they designate on the basis of a single application.