European Patent Office Employee Directory
Government AdministrationBavaria, Germany5001-10000 Employees
The European Patent Office (EPO) operates as the executive arm of the European Patent Organisation, an intergovernmental body established under the European Patent Convention. The organisation was established on 7 October 1977 on the basis of the European Patent Convention signed in 1973 in Munich. It provides inventors with a centralized application process that enables patent protection across up to 40 European countries. Based in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, it is supported by a sizeable workforce and works alongside the Administrative Council, the other principal body that supervises its activities. It supports innovation, competitiveness and economic growth across Europe by delivering high-quality, efficient patent services under the EPC and aims to contribute to an effective global patent system through trusted cooperation with partners worldwide. In 2026, the office announced a collaboration with Mistral AI to integrate an AI-powered optical character recognition system into its operational workflows.