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On April 15 and 16, 2010, the IP5 met to discuss a series of Foundation Projects geared toward creating a work-sharing environment and improvements to expedite the IP prosecution process. The IP5 is comprised of five patent offices, including the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the European Patent Office (EPO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO), the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), and the State Intellectual Property Office of China (SIPO). As noted in a recent EPO press release (available HERE), the heads of the IP5 "reaffirmed their commitment to collaborating with WIPO to improve the PCT system, so that its role could be further strengthened as the vehicle for efficient work-sharing, and also reconfirmed its 2008 vision, namely "The elimination of unnecessary duplication of work among the offices, enhancement of patent examination efficiency and quality, and guarantee of the stability of patent right." More information on the IP5 can be found at the Five IP Offices Web site, available HERE.

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