RWS Group to Host Free Seminar on Latest Practices in European Patent Applications with Experts on May 25 (Monday)
RWS Group is holding a free seminar for Japanese corporate intellectual property departments on European patent validation, supporting their adaptation to new patent systems. This provides crucial information for Japanese companies strengthening their business expansion in the European market.
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RWS Group (Headquarters: UK, hereinafter RWS) will hold a free seminar on May 25, 2026 (Monday), targeting the intellectual property departments of Japanese companies, with the theme of European patent validation. This seminar will feature Mr. Takeshi Takeuchi, a patent attorney at TMI Associates, who will provide a multifaceted explanation and discussion from an expert's perspective on the environmental changes surrounding the European patent system and practical considerations.
**Providing insights useful for practical decision-making by corporate IP departments**
With the launch of the Unitary Patent (UP) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC), the institutional options have expanded. However, for many Japanese companies, traditional European Patent (EP) applications and validation in each country still form the core of their European patent strategy. Japanese companies expanding their business in Europe are required to make medium-to-long-term decisions based on aspects such as acquisition costs, risk diversification, and reliable compliance with national requirements, making the linkage between IP strategy and management decisions more important than ever.
In particular, varying validation requirements and deadline management across countries, as well as continuous adaptation to system changes, not only increase the burden on IP practitioners but also affect management risks and operational efficiency.
Based on these challenges, this seminar will organize:
* Latest trends surrounding European Patents (EP) and validation
* Points on institutional, practical, and management decisions faced by IP departments of companies expanding into Europe
* Re-evaluation of medium-to-long-term European patent strategies
These topics will be discussed from both a global perspective and the practical and management perspectives of Japanese companies.
**Session based on European application status survey also to be held**
Furthermore, prior to the seminar, RWS is currently conducting a "Survey on the Status of European Applications by Japanese Companies" targeting the IP departments of Japanese companies.
At the seminar, while introducing an overview of the survey results, the speakers will discuss in a dialogue format points such as:
* "How do other companies think?"
* "Where do practical concerns concentrate?"
*Note: This survey aims to grasp industry-wide trends and will not be published in a form that identifies individual companies.*
**"European Validation Guidebook" published for practitioners**
In conjunction with this seminar, RWS has also published the "European Patent Validation Guide (PDF)" for Japanese corporate IP practitioners.
This guidebook summarizes the latest overview of European patent validation and explains how post-grant strategies and decision-making have changed with the advent of the Unitary Patent, in a format that is easy for practitioners to refer to. It is a convenient resource that covers country-specific validation requirements.
This guidebook will be distributed to seminar participants and can be utilized as reference material for examining European validation practices.
**Seminar Outline**
Event Name: Future Forum 2026 Tokyo
Theme: European Patent Grant Strategy in the UPC Era - Differentiating between Unitary Patent and EP Validation
Date: May 25, 2026 (Monday)
Format: On-site event / Free participation (pre-registration required) / Networking reception available
Speakers: Takeshi Takeuchi, Partner Patent Attorney at TMI Associates, and others
Main Contents (planned):
* Introduction to recent practices concerning European patenting
* Discussion based on corporate application status survey
* Overview of RWS's application support services
🔗 Click here for event details and registration
https://www.rws.com/jp/about/events/spotlight/future-forum-protect/
**About RWS's European Patent Validation Service**
RWS provides global services that support the intellectual property practices of Japanese companies, from European patent application translation and validation to annuity payment and management. Leveraging its long-standing operational track record and ability to respond to national requirements, RWS helps reduce the workload of IP departments.
**Providing insights useful for practical decision-making by corporate IP departments**
With the launch of the Unitary Patent (UP) and the Unified Patent Court (UPC), the institutional options have expanded. However, for many Japanese companies, traditional European Patent (EP) applications and validation in each country still form the core of their European patent strategy. Japanese companies expanding their business in Europe are required to make medium-to-long-term decisions based on aspects such as acquisition costs, risk diversification, and reliable compliance with national requirements, making the linkage between IP strategy and management decisions more important than ever.
In particular, varying validation requirements and deadline management across countries, as well as continuous adaptation to system changes, not only increase the burden on IP practitioners but also affect management risks and operational efficiency.
Based on these challenges, this seminar will organize:
* Latest trends surrounding European Patents (EP) and validation
* Points on institutional, practical, and management decisions faced by IP departments of companies expanding into Europe
* Re-evaluation of medium-to-long-term European patent strategies
These topics will be discussed from both a global perspective and the practical and management perspectives of Japanese companies.
**Session based on European application status survey also to be held**
Furthermore, prior to the seminar, RWS is currently conducting a "Survey on the Status of European Applications by Japanese Companies" targeting the IP departments of Japanese companies.
At the seminar, while introducing an overview of the survey results, the speakers will discuss in a dialogue format points such as:
* "How do other companies think?"
* "Where do practical concerns concentrate?"
*Note: This survey aims to grasp industry-wide trends and will not be published in a form that identifies individual companies.*
**"European Validation Guidebook" published for practitioners**
In conjunction with this seminar, RWS has also published the "European Patent Validation Guide (PDF)" for Japanese corporate IP practitioners.
This guidebook summarizes the latest overview of European patent validation and explains how post-grant strategies and decision-making have changed with the advent of the Unitary Patent, in a format that is easy for practitioners to refer to. It is a convenient resource that covers country-specific validation requirements.
This guidebook will be distributed to seminar participants and can be utilized as reference material for examining European validation practices.
**Seminar Outline**
Event Name: Future Forum 2026 Tokyo
Theme: European Patent Grant Strategy in the UPC Era - Differentiating between Unitary Patent and EP Validation
Date: May 25, 2026 (Monday)
Format: On-site event / Free participation (pre-registration required) / Networking reception available
Speakers: Takeshi Takeuchi, Partner Patent Attorney at TMI Associates, and others
Main Contents (planned):
* Introduction to recent practices concerning European patenting
* Discussion based on corporate application status survey
* Overview of RWS's application support services
🔗 Click here for event details and registration
https://www.rws.com/jp/about/events/spotlight/future-forum-protect/
**About RWS's European Patent Validation Service**
RWS provides global services that support the intellectual property practices of Japanese companies, from European patent application translation and validation to annuity payment and management. Leveraging its long-standing operational track record and ability to respond to national requirements, RWS helps reduce the workload of IP departments.