The awards were presented at a gala held during the European Patent Forum 2008 in Ljubljana, Slovenia by European Commission vice-president Günter Verheugen, Slovenia president Danilo Türk and EPO president Alison Brimelow.

Erik De Clercq of the University of Leuven in Belgium received the lifetime achievement award for his contributions to antiviral treatment, including developing the leading AIDS drug cocktail.

A group of inventors at Audi in Germany were recognized in the industry category for using aluminium to make car frames lighter and safer.

In the category for SMEs and research, three inventors from SME Optos in the UK received an award for developing a new laser scanning technology for the eye.

Philip S Green of SRI International in the US received the non-European inventor award for a robotic surgical system that allows surgeons to perform complex procedures.

The award winners were selected by an independent international jury, which drew on expertise from the EPO and national patent offices. Inventions that had been patented and successfully marketed between 1993 and 2002 were considered.

In choosing the winners, the jury took account of innovations that have made a significant and lasting contribution to technical progress in Europe and beyond, and have strengthened Europe’s economic position.

The award winners do not receive any financial reward.

More information about the winners and nominees is available on the EPO’s website.

The theme of the 2008 European Patent Forum is “Inventing a cleaner future” and participants are discussing the potential role of the IP system in combating climate change.