BACKGROUND
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The non-profit “European Intellectual Property Education Foundation” (EIPEF; original Dutch name: “Stichting Opleiding Europees Octrooigemachtigde”) was established in 2001 with the aim of effectively training candidates of the Dutch area for the EQE and achieving a high pass rate.
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EIPEF was set up in response to an initiative of the Association of Dutch patent attorneys to come to a centralized training for the EQE, following the successful establishment of a centralized training for the Dutch patent attorney exam.
The candidates for the Dutch area training include Dutch Patent Attorneys and EPO Examiners. As described on the home page, many shorter courses have been developed, out of the initial training program, aimed at patent professionals throughout Europe. |
EIPEF yearly reviews the results of the training. Based on this, the content of the training is adapted where required. EIPEF is also responsible for the pricing of the training course as offered in the Dutch area. Detailed agreements have been made on pricing based on a fair compensation of costs for the organisation of the training and for tutor effort. New prices are set annually by the Foundation based on changes in the course programme and inflation compensation.
DeltaPatents Training is the Executive body of EIPEF. In this role, DeltaPatents Training develops and owns the courses and the material. In the Dutch area, DeltaPatents Training organizes the courses on behalf of EIPEF and provides the majority of the tutors. Some tutors are hired by EIPEF from other patent attorney offices. |
Currently, eight tutors are being used. Outside the Dutch area co-operations have been and are being established with institutions that offer the course locally.
The Board of the Foundation includes representatives of the industrial Patent Offices, the private Patent Offices and DeltaPatents Training. The quality of the training program is further checked by a special Program Committee set up by the Association of Dutch Patent Attorneys. |