The Netherlands Patent Office (Dutch: Octrooicentrum Nederland) is the patent office of the Netherlands. It is an agency of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. The agency is located in the premises of the European Patent Office (EPO), in Rijswijk, near The Hague.[1] The Netherlands Patent Office grants patents in the Netherlands and deals with European patents validated in the Netherlands. It assumes its functions from the rijksoctrooiwet (Royal Patent Act).
Johannes Bob van Benthem was President of the Netherlands Patent Office from 1968 to 1977.[2] Before March 24, 2005, the Netherlands Patent Office was known as the Netherlands Industrial Property Office.[1]