European Patent Office

The EPO (German: Europ„eisches Patentamt; French: Office Europ‚en de
Brevets) promotes easier, cheaper, and more reliable patent protection by
establishing a single procedure for granting patents on the basis of a
single European patent law. Standards are available in English from the
World Intellectual Property Organization. The Office was established in
October, 1973; its headquarters are in Munich, Germany. EPO membership is
not open to the U.S., but close relations are maintained through the
Commerce Department's Patent and Trademark Office.