Intergovernmental organization

The Board of the Nordic Patent Institute consists of the directors of the national patent offices of Norway, Denmark and Iceland. The Chair of Board is Mrs. Borghildur Erlingsdóttir, Director General of the Icelandic Patent Office. Other members are Mr. Sune Stampe Sørensen, Director General of the Danish Patent and Trademark Office, and Ms. Kathrine Myhre, Director General of the Norwegian Industrial Property Office.

The legal basis for the organization is the "Agreement on the Establishing of the Nordic Patent Institute". The Agreement provides the general basis for the establishment, functioning and financing of the organization. Furthermore, the Agreement provides the legal basis for the other legal instruments of the organization. A Protocol on Privileges and Immunities for Nordic Patent Institute forms an integral part of the Agreement.

Based on the provisions of the Agreement, two sets of Regulations have been established, the first containing provisions pertaining to the internal management of the Institute, while the second contains further details as to provisions of an external nature, including details of the services offered to the Institute's customers (external regulations).

The Nordic Patent Institute aims to become:

• a reliable, national access to the international patent system for applicants of the participating parties
• an attractive business partner and service provider for global clients

This shall be achieved by offering products based on professionalism, high competencies and high-quality service standards.

The Nordic Patent Institute shall supply international patenting and information services in close cooperation with the participating national patent offices in order to stimulate industrial innovation in the contracting states.

The Institute shall, in particular:

• Support an efficient and high-quality, centrally controlled patent granting procedure for Europe within the framework of the European Patent Convention.
• Provide the basis for maintaining highly competitive IPR competence centers in the Nordic countries and for offering Nordic users a professional and customized interface to the patent system via their national patent offices.
• Exploit the synergy of cooperation on contract work for other parties, PCT applications and patent information services.