lilypadfrog
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LSDefine
Simple English definitions for legal terms
European Patent Convention
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A quick definition of European Patent Convention:
European Patent Convention: A treaty signed in 1973 that allows someone who wants to get a patent to apply for it in all the countries that signed the treaty, mostly countries in the European Union. This means they only have to go through one process to get their patent approved instead of having to do it separately in each country. It's like getting a big blanket that covers all the countries at once!
A more thorough explanation:
The European Patent Convention is a treaty that was established in 1973. It allows a person who wants to obtain a patent to protect their invention in all the countries that have signed the treaty. This means that they only need to file one application and go through one examination process.
For example, if someone wants to obtain a patent for their invention in Germany, France, and Italy, they can file one application under the European Patent Convention and go through one examination process. If their application is approved, they will have patent protection in all three countries.
The European Patent Convention is mostly signed by European Union members, but other countries such as Switzerland and Turkey have also signed the treaty.