Brussels, 04/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - In Munich on 3 May 2012, the European Patent Office (EPO) and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) signed a three-year technical cooperation agreement to develop an international patent system to encourage innovation around the world. The deal was signed by EPO Head Benoît Battistelli and WIPO Director General Francis Gurry and is the first such agreement. The two organisations explain in a press release that it will improve processing under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) to increase its use by people or bodies lodging patent applications. The deal will also improve the quality and efficiency of patent processing, including classification, patent searches and access to information. The agreement covers the drawing up of annual work programmes for cooperation in areas of joint interest relating to the PCT and is expected to make all PCT documents online and improve the provision online of patent information and patent applications. Under the PCT, an application can be lodged in some 140 countries simultaneously. (SP/transl.fl)