The EPO is ending its video conference (VICO) ‘pilot project’ and has announced that in principle, video conferences will be the default for oral proceedings before the Examining and Opposition Divisions, the Legal Division, and the Receiving Section from 1 January 2023. Only under certain circumstancs, opposition divisions will allow in person hearings.
AI Act: Brussels Has Not Banned AI - It Has Simply Asked Us to Pay Attention
Anyone who still believes that artificial intelligence operates in a legal vacuum has probably spent the past two years somewhere without Wifi. The European AI Act is now very much with us and, since 2 August 2026, a number of its rules have become directly relevant to businesses that do not build AI systems, train foundation models or employ rooms full of data scientists. They simply use AI. In other words: almost everyone.
De Clercq & Partners has once again been recognised in the IAM Patent 1000
We are proud to announce that De Clercq & Partners has once again been recognised in theIAMPatent 1000 2026, one of the leading international rankings for patent professionals and firms.
Moldova to become the 40th EPC contracting state on 1 June 2026
On 1 June 2026, the European Patent Organisation (EPO) will grow to 40 contracting states with the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Patent Convention (EPC).
