Visit to the President of Iceland

Mr. Antonio Campinos, President of the European Patent Office (EPO), visited the President of Iceland, Ms. Halla Tómasdóttir, at her residence in Bessastaðir on Wednesday, 18 June. They discussed, among other things, patent applications by Icelandic companies to the EPO, the importance of Icelandic businesses seeking protection for their intellectual assets, and the role of Icelandic innovation companies in export and development.

The visit coincided with the European Patent Network’s cooperation meeting and the presentation of EPO’s Young Innovators Prize in Harpa that same day. Joining Campinos at Bessastaðir were Borghildur Erlingsdóttir, Director General of the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office and Steve Rowan, EPO’s Vice-President for the Patent Granting Process.

The cooperation meeting in Harpa was attended by directors and senior officials from the IP offices of EPO’s 39 member states. This year’s theme centered on patents and financing. Borghildur and Sigrún Brynja delivered keynote addresses and Guðmundur Reynaldsson, European patent attorney with Flinto, Carbfix and Controlant, and Helga Valfells from Crowberry Capital participated in a panel discussion. Nearly 300 participants attended the two events in Iceland.

In her opening remarks, Borghildur Erlingsdóttir thanked Mr. Campinos and the EPO for choosing Iceland as a host for the two events. She emphasized that patents are more than a legal instruments, they are strategic business assets: “Patents help attract investment, open doors to international markets, and signal credibility to partners and funders. That is why national IP offices, like the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office, are increasingly focused not only on examining applications but also on helping innovators understand how to use IP effectively to grow and compete.”

Sigrún Brynja Einarsdóttir, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education,  recounted that Iceland has been a member of the European Patent Organisation for just over twenty years: “Since joining the EPO in 2004, our collaboration has grown steadily stronger and the membership has been a cornerstone of our participation in the broader European innovation ecosystem. Our entrepreneurs and researchers, whether working in health tech, biotechnology or pharma, sustainable energy, food technology, or design, depend on a strong and reliable IP system to transform their ideas into real-world value.”

In his opening remarks, EPO President António Campinos emphasised the importance of strengthening IP-backed financing: “Bringing technologies to market requires a system that capitalises on intellectual property as a legitimate financial asset. This is the first time we, as a network, are collectively addressing the challenges around innovation financing. It’s an opportunity to map best practices and explore the pressing questions that many member states across Europe face. Our goal is to work with industry and policymakers to build a trusted, investor-ready IP ecosystem – one that helps inventors turn ideas into investable, market-ready solutions.”