Standards and the European patent system

This study, conducted under the EPO Observatory on Patents and Technology, marks a first step toward enhancing transparency and predictability in the interplay between standards and patents in Europe. It comprises three main components. First, it details how the European Patent Office has improved search procedures by systematically integrating documents from standards development organisations (SDOs) into prior-art databases, thereby reinforcing patent quality in standardised technology areas. Second, it introduces the EPO Cited SDO Documents Dataset, a new resource linking published patent applications to cited standards documents. The study serves as a user guide for this dataset, highlighting potential applications and presenting new empirical insights. Third, it analyses recent developments in standard essential patent (SEP) litigation in Europe, focusing on the early effects of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) in streamlining enforcement and presenting outcomes across jurisdictions.