Berkkam Patent

European Patent Convention

The aim of EPC, i.e. European Patent Convention, is to increase cooperation between European countries about protection of inventions, to establish a “patent registration system” that will be valid in all member countries and to create a common patent law between European countries.

It is aimed to provide a patent protection valid at the same time in all member countries of the convention via a single application. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a patent protection in a great number of countries at the same time in a shorter period and with a lower cost.

European Patent Convention on the grant of European Patents (European Patent Convention-EPC) was signed on the date of 5 October 1973 and entered into force on the date of 7 October 1977. Turkey has been a member of EPC since the date of 1 November 2000. European Patent Organization established under EPC consists of the Administrative Council which is legislative body and European Patent Office (EPO) which is executive body.

While application procedures continue before EPO, temporary protection applications can be filed before official organizations of relevant countries in order to get temporary protection in any member country of EPC. For this purpose, translation of claims of applications into official language of relevant countries should be presented before official organizations (National Office) of member countries.

After positive reports of European Patent application, translation of European Patent into the language accepted by relevant member country where the European Patent is demanded to be valid should be presented before the official organization (National Office) of the member country within legal period from the publication of grant decision in European Patent Bulletin.

Objections can be filed against a granted European patent within a nine month period from the publication of grant decision in European Patent Bulletin.

According to article 86 of EPC, annual fees of years of that European patent application is valid should be paid directly to EPO from third year. This payment is made last time for the year of publication of grant of European patent. After that, payments should be made to official organizations (National Offices) of the countries where the European Patent is valid according to article 141 of EPC.

European Patent Attorneyship

The responsibility of trademark and patent attorneys is not only to make trademarks, patents and industrial designs etc. registered or granted but also to manage, direct and contribute these values that are very important to right owners now by dealing with them beginning from creation of them.

“European Patent Attorney” is defined as persons registered as “professional representative” before European Patent Office. Patent attorneys registered before European Patent Office are called as professional “European patent attorney” and they have an authority to take actions before National Patent Offices of member countries of convention.

There is a necessity to be a European Patent Attorney to take actions before EPO (The European Patent Office) similarly with that there is a necessity to be a patent attorney to take actions before Turkish Patent and Trademark Office. European Patent applications should be filed by European Patent Attorneys before EPO.

An inventor who would like to file a European Patent application should work with both a national attorney and a European Patent Attorney. Therefore, two attorneys should be assigned as a Turkish Patent Attorney and a European Patent Attorney by inventor. Performing patent procedures by two attorneys causes the period to be longer also attorney/consultancy fees to double as national and foreign attorney costs. In addition, language problems occur for other languages than native language mostly.

Our clients apply for European patents filed by Mrs. Ayfer BERKKAM who is both Turkish Patent Attorney and European Patent Attorney with a single attorney and a single attorneyship fee. This advantage of ours prevents loss of time and cost and removes various communication problems.

Ways for European Patent Application:

• Filing a European patent application based on a priority of a TR application filed before Turkish Patent and Trademark Office in Turkey

• Filing a direct European patent application

• Filing a European patent national entrance (EURO-PCT) via a PCT application with or without priority

Relating to filing these applications, both patent procedure period gets shorter and advantages for costs are provided benefiting discounts in favor of applicant due to European Patent Attorneyship which is an important title. We continue giving our services projecting these advantages brought by this important title that a few person has in Turkey in favor of our clients every time.

With our said “European Patent attorney” title, European Patent applications of a number of natural/legal person placed abroad in addition to our domestic clients are effected successfully and procedures are performed meticulously via our European Patent Attorneyship.

The biggest reason for that our foreign clients, especially inventors resident in countries such as USA, China prefer Mrs. Ayfer BERKKAM as attorney for European Patent applications is her meticulous and successful works without making compromise ethical rules, representing trust and success in the sector which she creates with her knowledgeable, qualified, moral service mentality in her working life lasting longer than a quarter century.

European Patent Convention

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European Patent Attorneyship

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