The Trilateral partners (from left to right):
USPTO Undersecretary, Jon Dudas
JPO Commissioner, Masahiro Koezuka
EPO President, Alison Brimelow

History

The Trilateral Co-operation was set up in 1983 between

• the European Patent Office (EPO),
• the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and
• the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

The majority of all patent applications filed worldwide, including PCT applications, are processed by the Trilateral Offices.

Through harmonisation and development of industrial property administration and protection of industrial property rights, the Trilateral Offices strive to contribute to an increasingly efficient worldwide patent system in the 21st century.