Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have long been the main focus of the Austrian Patent Office. That is why we have designed our international search facility serv.ip precisely for the needs of this group. Already in 2007, our customer portal was highlighted in an evaluation by the EU Commission amongst 280 service facilities (see Annual Report 2007). And again in 2008, we are able to book another big success: the EU Commission considered our non-bureaucratic CEE project CETMOS as being worth an award. Within the scope of the European Charter for Small Enterprises, CETMOS was elected as one of only three “Charter Stars” throughout Europe. This gives us great pleasure, especially if you look at the reason: CETMOS, so the EU Commission, is a cooperation that works well across and beyond national borders and thus connects the relevant aspects of internationalisation and the reduction of bureaucratic obstacles for SMEs in an exemplary manner.