On 29 September 2026, in Beijing, Chen Fuli, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), met with a delegation led by António Campinos, President of the European Patent Office (EPO). The two offices reviewed the achievements of their comprehensive strategic cooperation and signed a China–Europe data-exchange agreement, marking a new, closer stage of China–Europe intellectual property cooperation.
1. CNIPA and the EPO: a comprehensive strategic partnership
CNIPA and the EPO are comprehensive strategic partners. Over the years they have cooperated productively in high-level exchanges, patent examination and administration, automation, data exchange, and personnel training, building mutual understanding and providing quality, convenient IP services to users in China and Europe.
2. The core outcome: a data-exchange agreement
After the meeting, the two offices signed a China–Europe data-exchange agreement. It promotes interconnection and mutual recognition of patent data—a key step from consensus to institutionalised cooperation—directly improving examination efficiency and offering a more convenient official information channel for users.
3. Future focus: AI and intellectual-property finance
António Campinos spoke highly of China’s IP development achievements and said the EPO stands ready to broaden cooperation areas with CNIPA and enhance its effectiveness, strengthening exchange in artificial intelligence and intellectual-property finance to better serve China–Europe innovators and innovation cooperation.
4. Practical implications for innovators and enterprises
For innovators, data interconnection and examination cooperation mean a smaller “information gap” and lower institutional cost when planning cross-border portfolios. When filing in China and Europe in parallel, companies should prioritise both offices’ official search portals to check prior rights and assess grant prospects.
Further reading: Free Patent Annual-Fee Monitoring | China Trademark Classification
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the relationship between China’s CNIPA and the EPO?
The China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and the European Patent Office (EPO) are comprehensive strategic partners. Over the years they have cooperated productively in high-level exchanges, patent examination and administration, automation, data exchange, and personnel training—building mutual understanding and providing quality, convenient services to IP users in China and Europe.
Q: What does the newly signed data-exchange agreement do?
It promotes the interconnection and mutual recognition of patent data between the two offices. This improves examination efficiency, reduces duplicate searches, and delivers more convenient official information services to innovators in China and Europe—a practical outcome of the comprehensive strategic partnership.
Q: Why does it matter for Chinese companies going global?
Data interconnection and examination cooperation lower the information asymmetry and institutional cost of cross-border IP planning. Companies can use both offices’ official portals more smoothly to search and file patents in China and Europe, identifying risks earlier and optimising filing strategy.
Q: What are the future priorities of China–Europe IP cooperation?
Both sides expressed willingness to strengthen exchange in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence and intellectual-property finance, deepen mutual trust, and move cooperation to a closer new stage—contributing more outcomes to China–Europe trade, innovation and cultural development.
Source
来源：中国国家知识产权局（CNIPA）局要闻（发布于 2026-10-02）。原文标题：《国家知识产权局 局要闻 陈福利会见欧洲专利局局长安东尼奥·坎普诺斯一行》。原文链接：https://www.cnipa.gov.cn/art/2026/10/2/art_53_208406.html（会见日 2026-09-29）。
This article introduces the intellectual property system of the People’s Republic of China (China); please refer to the latest official regulations for specifics.