The Trilateral Cooperation is a relationship between the three largest patent offices in the world: U.S. PTO, EPO and JPO. In the 1980's it was decided by these three patent offices to cooperate in a way that would reduce the workload among them in a meaningful and organized manner, while maintaining an adequate productivity, quality and efficiency [http://www.trilateral.net/background/, http://www.trilateral.net/background/timeline/]. Representatives (i.e., the Commissioner of the USPTO and the Directors of the EPO and JPO) meet annually to discuss and resolve issues of common interest to all three parties. The first Trilateral Conference was held on October 19, 1983, in Washington, DC. The 25th Conference was held in Washington, DC, on November 5-9 [http://www.trilateral.net/calendar/].

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