Seeking the Patent Truth - Industry Taught How to Tap Patent Information to Gain Competitive Edge

EPO and IPOS organises the second Europe Asia Patent Information Conference to heighten awareness of importance of patent information to businesses

SINGAPORE, March 04, 2004 –The Europe Asia Patent Information Conference (EAPIC) 2004 opened this morning at the Oriental Singapore. The conference was jointly organised by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) and supported by the LES (Singapore).
EAPIC, which will be held on 4 - 5 March 2004, aims to start organisations on the road towards applying useful patent information and intelligence tools in their decision-making processes. Patents have traditionally been regarded as mere legal documents which contribute marginally to the actual marketing of a company's products, services and technologies. To help companies and organisations unravel the true value of patent information, a special segment (presentation showcase) on 4 March will be conducted to allow for greater knowledge-sharing and hands-on demonstration. Regional National IP Offices and leading patent information service providers will present their latest patent information tools and platforms at this showcase.
On 5 March, a total of seven distinguished speakers, who come from different parts of the world, will be sharing their valuable experiences through a series of lectures and panel discussions. These recognised experts will touch on a wide array of topics ranging from how organisations can set up their very own intelligence network to how they can apply such vital information and intelligence in decision-making and valuation. Dr. h. c. Ingo Kober, President of EPO and Ms. Liew Woon Yin, Director-General of IPOS will be delivering the opening speeches and kick start the lectures on 5 March. (Please refer to Annex (77.5KB) for more details on the speakers and participating organisations.)

For media enquiry, please contact:

Ms Tangie Kay
Senior Executive
Media & Marketing Communications
Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS)
DID: 6331 6573
Fax: 6331 6562
Email: Tangie_Kay@ipos.gov.sg

About IPOS
The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore or IPOS (http://www.ipos.gov.sg) is the lead government agency that formulates and regulates intellectual property (IP) laws, promotes IP awareness and provides the infrastructure to facilitate the greater development of IP in Singapore. With IP fast becoming a critical resource in today’s new economy, IPOS’s vision is to foster a creative Singapore where ideas and intellectual efforts are valued, developed and exploited. Formerly known as the Registry of Trade Marks and Patents, IPOS was established as a statutory board of the Ministry of Law on 1 April 2001.

About EPO
The mission of the European Patent Office (EPO) is to support innovation, competitiveness and economic growth for the benefit of the citizens of Europe. Its task is to grant European patents for inventions on the basis of a centralized procedure for the contracting states to the European Patent Convention (EPC), which was signed in Munich on 5 October 1973 and entered into force on 7 October 1977. The EPO is the executive arm of the European Patent Organisation, an intergovernmental body set up under the EPC, whose members are the EPC contracting states. It has its headquarters in Munich, a branch at the Hague and offices in Berlin and Vienna. With its workforce of nearly 6,000 staff, the EPO is one of the largest European institutions.