Eduard Shablin, Partner at Patentica, participated in roving seminar of the Eurasian Patent Office in China

From March 17 to 21, a delegation from the Eurasian Patent Office (EAPO), together with representatives of the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), has held a roving seminar in three northeastern Chinese provinces: Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang.

The EAPO delegation presented the advantages of the Eurasian patent system to Chinese patent attorneys, representatives of technology companies and universities. The seminar has received strong support from the Chinese government. The delegation has met with Ma Jian, Deputy Secretary-General of the Jilin Provincial People’s Government, and Yu Jiang, Vice Governor of Heilongjiang Province, and also visited the Chinese automotive manufacturer FAW.

Eduard Shablin, Partner at Patentica, participated in the seminar and delivered a presentation on patentability of computer-implemented inventions under the Eurasian patent legislation. He addressed key aspects of exclusions from patentability and the assessment of the inventive step of software-based inventions.

“The number of applications filed by Chinese applicants with the EAPO has surged over the past year. In 2024, China ranked third among the most active EAPO applicants for both inventions and industrial designs. Despite their geographic proximity to EAPO member states and robust trade ties, patenting activity from China’s northeastern provinces remains relatively low. This region is a powerhouse of scientific and technological innovation, home to major centers for machinery, metallurgy, and petrochemicals, while machinery and equipment dominate China’s exports to the Eurasian countries. This makes our roving seminar in the northeast particularly important,” emphasized Mr. Shablin.

The seminar drew significant interest and media attention, with approximately 400 attendees participating in person.

Patentica’s experts regularly engage in industry conferences and seminars, ensuring they remain at the forefront of intellectual property protection trends while sharing insights with peers and clients.