NL Patent Office

Merger for the Netherlands Patent Office

February 01, 2010

NL Agency came about in early 2010 through a merger of EVD, Netherlands Patent Office (Octrooicentrum Nederland) and SenterNovem. This merger will soon allow us to be of even better service to you as a result of a collective focus: one customer support desk, coherent programmes, better coordinated financing programmes and transparent, short procedures.

Focus on sustainability, innovation and international
NL Agency works for various ministries, focusing on sustainability, innovation and international business and cooperation. You can contact us for information and advice, but also for financing, networking and regulatory matters.

The activities of NL Agency are divided into five thematic divisions:

1. The division NL Energy and Climate Change strengthens society by working on energy and climate solutions for the future.
2. NL EVD International stimulates international business and cooperation and promotes a positive image of the Netherlands abroad.
3. NL Innovation helps Dutch businesses to innovate, by providing finance, advice and contacts.
4. NL Environment stimulates the achievement of sustainability goals by creating alliances, assessing environmental legislation and providing finance, information and advice.
5. NL Patent Office grants patents in the Netherlands, provides information on the patent system and represents Dutch interests in European and international organisations.

'Answers for Business' (Antwoord voor bedrijven) is also part of NL Agency. Answers for Business provides businesses with information about Dutch government permits, laws and subsidies and thus also on the programmes and schemes of NL Agency. NL Agency will also closely collaborate with Syntens, the national innovation network for entrepreneurs.

Clear contact points, improvement and quality
NL Agency ensures that government policy is realised quickly, properly and effectively: through clear contact points, first-rate services, sound advice and support.  NL Agency also handles monitoring and impact assessment of policy implementation. Signals from policy implementation are passed back to the policy makers. This will contribute to a closer correlation between policy and implementation in the future.

NL Agency is part of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. Its largest clients, other than the Ministry of Economic Affairs, are the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.

What will change for you?
Your contact persons and our addresses will remain unchanged as from January. Our telephone numbers will however change as from the beginning of January: if you are currently dialling a personal extension number, all you will need to change are the first six digits (088-602 xx); the four digits of the personal extension number will remain unchanged. Utrecht numbers ending in 3x xx will change to 2x xx.
NL Agency also has new bank account numbers. Go to www.agentschapnl.nl for more information.

As a governmental organisation, we will soon be recognisable by the government-wide house style. With a new logo, this house style will contribute to a clear, transparent government.

Further information
For further information, please visit our website www.agentschapnl.nl.