TNAG-2890-FCO40-4162-Reform-and-localisation-of-the-Hong-Kong-Patent-System-1993 — Page 103

Efice

sive

cha

_tent

examiners. In order to continue with their planned target of reducing the time between lodgement and examination the APO has taken steps to maintain staff levels by increasing recruitment and training.

Chinese Patent Office (CPO)

4.25.

In 1991, there were 11,423 applications for the grant of a patent. There are about 400 examiners at the Chinese Patent Office.

European Patent Office (EPO)

see

ical

fter

on

4.26.

In 1990 there were 62,800 applications for the grant of a patent. The total staff at the EPO in 1990 was 3481. There were 2201 technical officers (including examiners), legal staff and translators with university level education, 1043 executive, supervisory, secretarial and clerical staff with secondary level education, and 237 technical and other support staff.

in

rch

r it

be

4.27.

on,

4.28.

ave

be

In

cal

The EPO is financially autonomous and meets all of its expenditure out of income, mainly consisting of fees paid by applicants and patentees.

We understand that the EPO in 1990 recruited an additional 200 examiners in an effort to speed up the process of search and examination so that patents can be granted in a shorter period of time. The average time taken to obtain a grant in the EPO is about 4 years.

Japanese Patent Office (JPO)

of

4.29.

оп

290

Is

22 50

1

In 1990 there were 360,704 applications for the grant of a patent. As at 1989 there were 883 patent and utility model examiners and 280 appeal examiners. In 1988 the JPO carried out a number of measures including increasing the number of examiners in order to improve the system of examination.

Korean Industrial Property Office (KIPO)

4.30.

In 1990 there were 23,107 applications for the grant of a patent. As of 1990, there were 141 examiners, 11 trial examiners and 9 appellate examiners employed by the Korean Intellectual Property Office.

New Zealand Patent Office (NZPO)

4.31.

In the year ended 31st March 1991 there were 4488 applications for the grant of a patent in the NZPO. There were 40 patent examiners, including 5 principal examiners in charge of examination sections and one responsible for classification and training. The five examination sections are, organic chemistry and biotechnology, mechanical engineering, building technology, home science and miscellaneous, and primary industries. All examiners possess some technical or scientific qualification and experience in the particular field in which they work.

31