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Cooperation

Good cooperation - at national, European and international level

The German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) cooperates with a large number of partners at Laender or federal level. The role that the legislator has attributed to industrial property protection in the interest of the national economy requires coordinated efforts of all competent public institutions and circles involved. Furthermore, intensified cooperation is required at the European and international levels in view of the growing importance of the Common Market within the European Union and the increasing trade relations with states outside the EU.

Fostering IP protection nationally

At the national level, close cooperation with patent attorneys, represented by the Chamber of Patent Attorneys, and the Federal Patent Court is of fundamental importance for the work of the DPMA. Regional patent information centres inform and support small and medium enterprises, particularly the start-up scene, and raise their awareness of industrial property protection. The central information services of the DPMA on the Internet are supplemented by expert advice and information services at the regional level. The DPMA closely works together with these institutions and assists their activities by lectures, training measures, trade fair participation and seminars. At the regional level, the patent information centres cooperate with the chambers of commerce and industry, the chambers of crafts and trades as well as other institutions. It is in close contact with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, which supports the use of the patent system by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the transfer of inventions from the university sector through its WIPANO programme. Together with the Zentralstelle Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz (central unit of industrial property protection) of the customs services, the DPMA attends important fairs in order to provide information on product piracy and trade mark counterfeiting.

Also present: interest groups

Furthermore, the DPMA participates in various user panels in order to further develop and adapt its business processes to meet user needs. These interest groups include the Vereinigung von Fachleuten des Gewerblichen Rechtsschutzes (VPP), the Patentinformationsnutzergruppe (PING), the "Arbeitsgruppe Markenanmeldung und -dokumentation (ARMAD)" and the Patent Documentation Group (PDG).

Concerted action at the European level

At the European level, the DPMA has strong relations with the European Patent Office (EPO) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). Together with the Federal Ministry of Justice, the DPMA represents the interests of Germany as a member state in the bodies of the European Patent Organisation and the Management Board of the EUIPO. In addition, the DPMA cooperates with the EPO and the EUIPO at various working levels.

International networks

At the international level, the DPMA is a member of many committees of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), based in Geneva, and maintains partnership relations with other IP offices around the world.

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Last updated: 5 August 2022