On 21-22 November 2022, the State Office of Industrial Property (SOIP) of the Republic of North Macedonia as a part of the bilateral cooperation activities organized the second technical workshop on the implementation of Front Office with the European Patent Office (EPO). The objective of the technical workshop was to capture the requirements and the needs of SOIP, and as well to discuss the next steps of the project and most importantly to strengthen the cooperation between the two Offices.
Front Office is an Internet application that enables applicants, inventors and representatives to submit patent applications and other subsequent actions via the Internet.
SOIP teams was led by the Director of the Office, Mr. Ibush Jusufi, who in the opening speech took the opportunity to thank the European Patent Office (EPO) for the commitment and support to implement various IT platforms that improve the quality of the services for its users whether they are citizens or from abroad. Mr. Jusufi also emphasized the list of benefits that the implementation of Front Office brings to its users and for the Office itself.
Among other things, Mr. Jusufi emphasized that users will be able to file not only patent applications but as well other subsequent actions such as request for change, renewals, annuities and many other types of requests.
The SOIP's decision, brought by Mr. Jusufi to make SOIP among one of the first implementing Offices of the Front Office platform is yet another proof that EPO continues to be crucial strategic partner for SOIP and that it strives to implement important solutions through the IT cooperation department for the European Patent Network and tis users.