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How to apply a patent in European Patent Office (EPO) ?
EPO, patent
Up to nine months after publication of the mention that a European patent has been granted, any person (with the exception of the patent proprietor himself) may file notice of opposition to the patent with the EPO. The notice of opposition must be filed in a written reasoned statement. That means that the opponent must state at least one ground for opposition under Article 100 EPC and indicate the facts, evidence and arguments presented in support of the ground(s). Otherwise the notice of opposition will be rejected as inadmissible.We advise using the official EPO opposition form (2300), which is available free of charge from the EPO and the central industrial property offices of the contracting states. Notice of opposition is not deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee of EUR 775 has been paid.
For further details of the opposition procedure see the Guide for applicants, Part 1, point 178 ff.
Guide for applicants, Part 1
Requests for the grant of a European patent must be filed on the form prescribed by the European Patent Office (EPO Form 1001). This should be accompanied (where applicable – i.e. where the applicant is not the inventor or is not the sole inventor) by a “Designation of the inventor” form (EPO Form 1002). An “Authorisation” (EPO Form 1003) may also be required (see “Representation” below).
Filing fee: EUR 210 (for paper filings – fee code 001) or EUR 120 (for online filings); Additional fee for the 36th and each subsequent page if applicable EUR 15 (fee code 501)
Search fee: EUR 1 285 (fee code 002)
Where appropriate, claims fees: EUR 235 (fee code 015) per claim for the 16th to 50th claim and EUR 580 for the 51st and each subsequent claim up to a limit of 50.
fee for a divisional application of third generation EUR 420 (fee code 553)
fee for a divisional application of fourth generation EUR 630 (fee code 554)
fee for a divisional application of fifth or any subsequent generation EUR 840 (fee code 555)
The EPO’s postal addresses and fax numbers can be found on the Contact page.
For further information on how to file a European patent application and on the European patent grant procedure, see How to get a European patent, Guide for applicants, Part 1, as well as the EPO forms required and the current Schedule of fees and expenses.
a. Filing fee: EUR 200 (for paper filings – fee code 001) or EUR 115 (for online filings); Additional fee for the 36th and each subsequent page if applicable EUR 14
For further details see the Guide for applicants, Part 1 and the Guide for applicants, Part 2 (Euro-PCT).
Guide for applicants, Part
In order to initiate the European phase you must fulfil certain minimum requirements within 31 months of the filing date or, if priority has been claimed, the earliest priority date. More details can be found in the Guide for applicants, Part 2 (Euro-PCT), point 449 ff.
Guide for applicants, Part 2
For further details see the Guide for applicants, Part 1, point 52 ff.
Further details can be found in the Guide for applicants, Part 1, point 58 ff.
The filing and search fees due at the beginning of the procedure currently amount to about EUR 1 495 (or EUR 1 405 if the application is filed online). The remaining fees are payable later. That means that applicants can decide at each stage of the procedure whether or not to continue with their application. As a rough guide, it currently costs on average EUR 5 655 (or EUR 5 565 if the application is filed online) to take a patent application through to the grant stage.
Guide for applicants, Part 1 – Fees
EPO – National law relating to the EPC
They may also be paid by debiting a deposit account opened with the EPO in Munich (Supplementary publication 4, OJ EPO 2014, “Arrangements for deposit accounts (ADA) and their annexes”).
Holders of EPO deposit accounts may also use the EPO’s Online Fee Payment service.
For further details see the Guide for applicants, Part 1, point 149 ff.
Requests to change the address of the applicant or inventor should be submitted in writing (letter or fax) to the EPO’s official address, quoting the application number(s) concerned. Where appropriate, you can indicate that the change of address affects all applications filed in your company’s name. There is no fee payable and no prescribed form is required.
Guidelines for Examination in the EPO, Part A, Chapter III, point 5, “Designation of inventor”
Guidelines for Examination in the EPO, Part E, Chapter XII, point 3
Further details can be found in the Guidelines for Examination in the EPO, Part E, Chapter XII, point 1.
Yes, if you are using the automatic debiting procedure and waive your right to the communication under Rules 161 and 162 EPC, you must pay any claims fees due on entry into the European phase by another permitted means since, under the automatic debiting procedure, claims fees are considered to have been received on the last day of the six-month period under Rule 162(2) EPC
Guide for applicants, Part 2 (6th edition, October 2012), point 427ff.
I have read that the current time limits for filing divisional applications will be abolished. Which applications will the amended rule apply to?
The new version of Rule 36 EPC will apply to divisional applications filed on or after 1 April 2014. The Administrative Council’s decision removing the current time limits for filing divisional applications does not provide for any transitional provisions. Thus when the amendment of Rule 36 EPC enters into force on 1 April 2014, a divisional application may be filed in respect of any earlier application still pending. This also applies to cases where the time limits applicable between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2014 have already expired.
We would also like to point out that there will be an additional fee as part of the filing fee for divisional applications of second and subsequent generations. Detailed information will be published on the EPO website.
Revision of the requirements for the filing of divisional applications (amendment of Rules 36, 38 and 135 EPC)
Decision of the Administrative Council of 16 October 2013 amending Rules 36, 38 and 135 of the Implementing Regulations to the European Patent Convention (CA/D 15/13)
I have just received an “Invitation to file a translation of the previous application (Rule 53(3) EPC)” from the examining division. It says that if the required translation(s) is (are) not filed within the given time limit, I will lose the right of priority I am claiming for my European patent application on the basis of the previous application(s
You will be sent EPO Form 2532G “Noting of loss of rights pursuant to Rule 112(1) EPC”.
I have been informed that fees have increased with effect of 1 April 2014. Where can I find the new schedule of fees, and which methods of payment are available?
The new fees are applicable as from 1 April 2014 and are binding on payments made on or after 1 April 2014. A link to the updated schedule of fees can be found at the bottom of this answer.
Fees must be paid in EUR direct to the EPO. You can do this by paying them into or transferring them to a bank account held by the EPO or by debiting a deposit account you have opened with the EPO via a debit order. If you are an EPO deposit account holder, you also have the option of issuing an automatic debit order. For debit orders submitted online, you can defer execution dates. The fees will then be debited from the deposit account at a later date of your choice.
Depending on how you pay, the deemed date of payment is the day on which (a) the amount of the payment or transfer is actually credited to a bank account held by the Office or (b) the order to debit a deposit account is received at the EPO, provided the deposit account contains sufficient funds.
Decision of the Administrative Council of 13 December 2013 amending Article 2 of the Rules relating to Fees and adjusting the amount of the reduction in the fee for the supplementary European search where the international or supplementary international search report was drawn up by one of the European International Searching Authorities (CA/D 14/13, OJ EPO 2014, A5)
Are changes to the text of the specification allowed after the patent has been granted?
What can I do if the text of the patent specification as published is not the one we approved?
If a decision to grant contains an error made after the text has been approved by the patent proprietor, such that the text as granted is not that approved by the proprietor, then the patent proprietor is adversely affected by that decision and is entitled to appeal (G 1/10, point 12 of the reasons).
Finally, after the grant of the European patent, a validation procedure – often including translation of the patent specification and/or claims – may have to be undertaken in order to validate the patent in the designated states. More information on the validation procedure and the language requirements of the contracting states can be found in the brochure ‘National Law relating to the EPC’.
Guide for applicants – Part 1, point 42ff