Video conferencing becomes default position for oral proceedings at the EPO

António Campinos, President of the European Patent Office (EPO) has decided that video conference should become the default format of oral proceedings in opposition from 1 January 2023.

The announcement was made on the EPO website earlier today (Tuesday, November 22). Read the full statement.

CIPA President Alasdair Poore said:

CIPA welcomes the news that holding Oral Proceedings by video conference will become the default position at the EPO. This is an important step forward for access to justice and also supports the drive to make the legal system more sustainable.”

The announcement follows news last week that more than three-quarters of users surveyed by the EPO had found video conferencing either “good” or “very good”. Read our article.

We have consistently said that video conferencing is the future for the EPO, with the caveat that it must be fit for purpose. By the summer of 2021 and the publication of an EPO progress report, we were satisfied with the evidence.

Alicia Instone, CIPA President, said at that time: “We are proud of the lead we have taken in the promotion of videoconferencing as the future for our profession.

“The EPO’s ViCo progress report shows that feedback from the profession helped the EPO to adapt and refine its approach. Much of this feedback and support came from the UK.”

Date published: 22 November 2022