Montenegro Officially Joins the European Patent Association
After initially signalling it’s intent to join the European Patent Association back in 2007, the long road has now come to an end, and Montenegro has finally become the 39th State to join the elite organisation. Starting in 1977 with just seven founding states, the European Patent Association has grown over the years, to include all 27 EU member states plus the likes of Albania, Iceland, Monaco, Norway, Turkiye and now Montenegro.
After initially signalling it’s intent to join the European Patent Association back in 2007, the long road has now come to an end, and Montenegro has finally become the 39th State to join the elite organisation. Starting in 1977 with just seven founding states, the European Patent Association has grown over the years, to include all 27 EU member states plus the likes of Albania, Iceland, Monaco, Norway, Turkiye and now Montenegro.
The main aim of the Patent Association is to steer innovation and economic growth by helping people to obtain European wide protection for their inventions, which spans 44 countries and a market of over 700m people. The journey to accession hasn’t been a quick route or an easy route, and from 2009, even after signing the initial agreement, they were only considered ‘observers’ from the 1st March 2010. On the 23rd July 2018, Montenegro put forward a formal request to fully join the EPC and in October of the same year they were formally invited to accede, starting official discussions in 2019. The final decision then came on the 29th December 2021, and they were approved unanimously, finally becoming full members on the 1st October 2022.
Josef Kratochvíl, Chairperson of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation, welcomed Montenegro with open arms commenting ‘the accession of Montenegro highlights the attractiveness of the European patent system for European economies and its potential for growth, as a strong support for innovation in uncertain times’. António Campinos, President of the EPO’s Executive Arm also said "we are delighted to welcome Montenegro as our newest member state and we hope that this will benefit local innovation and our users alike. The accession of Montenegro to the EPC is also a strong endorsement of the quality of the European Patent system’.
10.10.2022