Special interview with Mariana Karepova, the President of the Austrian Patent Office
IPKat had the pleasure of being in the audience as the President of the Austrian Patent Office, Mariana Karepova , spoke about IP from the Austrian perspective. Her words piqued our interest and we were delighted when President Karepova agreed to be interviewed by IPKat to further describe IP law and practice in her country. The interview is set out in full below. Question 1 -- President Karepova, to help us better focus the interview, you graciously provided us with a copy of the 2017 Annual Report of the Austrian Patent Office. In a word, the Report is unlike any other annual report that we have ever seen—separate folio pages bound only with a cord, conveying a sense of both the past and the future (including a VR capability). What was behind producing an Annual Report in this fashion? The creativity and inventiveness of the people seeking IP protection are at the very core of our daily business. It is impressive to see all those great ideas turn into inventions, a considerable num...