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<li id="toc-Cooperation_agreements_with_non-contracting_states:_extension_and_validation_agreements" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Cooperation_agreements_with_non-contracting_states:_extension_and_validation_agreements"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1</span> <span>Cooperation agreements with non-contracting states: extension and validation agreements</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Cooperation_agreements_with_non-contracting_states:_extension_and_validation_agreements-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Legal_nature_and_content" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Legal_nature_and_content"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Legal nature and content</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Legal_nature_and_content-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Substantive_patent_law" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Substantive_patent_law"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Substantive patent law</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Substantive_patent_law-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Unified_prosecution_phase" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Unified_prosecution_phase"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Unified prosecution phase</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Unified_prosecution_phase-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Opposition" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Opposition"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Opposition</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Opposition-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Grant,_effect_and_need_for_translations" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Grant,_effect_and_need_for_translations"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Grant, effect and need for translations</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Grant,_effect_and_need_for_translations-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Enforcement_and_validity" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Enforcement_and_validity"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>Enforcement and validity</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Enforcement_and_validity-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon 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class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>Term (duration) of a European patent</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Term_(duration)_of_a_European_patent-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Relation_with_the_Patent_Cooperation_Treaty" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Relation_with_the_Patent_Cooperation_Treaty"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">9</span> <span>Relation with the Patent Cooperation Treaty</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Relation_with_the_Patent_Cooperation_Treaty-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">10</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Notes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">11</span> <span>Notes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">12</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Further_reading" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Further_reading"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">13</span> <span>Further reading</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Further_reading-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">14</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" title="Table of Contents" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" 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interwiki-bg mw-list-item"><a href="https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%95%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%B5%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B2%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F" title="Европейска патентна конвенция – Bulgarian" lang="bg" hreflang="bg" data-title="Европейска патентна конвенция" data-language-autonym="Български" data-language-local-name="Bulgarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Български</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europ%C3%A4isches_Patent%C3%BCbereinkommen" title="Europäisches Patentübereinkommen – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Europäisches Patentübereinkommen" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convenio_sobre_la_Patente_Europea" title="Convenio sobre la Patente Europea – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Convenio sobre la Patente Europea" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_sur_le_brevet_europ%C3%A9en" title="Convention sur le brevet européen – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Convention sur le brevet européen" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_patent_convention" title="European patent convention – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="European patent convention" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hu mw-list-item"><a href="https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eur%C3%B3pai_szabadalmi_egyezm%C3%A9ny" title="Európai szabadalmi egyezmény – Hungarian" lang="hu" hreflang="hu" data-title="Európai szabadalmi egyezmény" data-language-autonym="Magyar" data-language-local-name="Hungarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Magyar</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europees_Octrooiverdrag" title="Europees Octrooiverdrag – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Europees Octrooiverdrag" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%AC%A7%E5%B7%9E%E7%89%B9%E8%A8%B1%E6%9D%A1%E7%B4%84" 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<div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">International patent treaty</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output 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li{margin-bottom:0}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox vevent"><caption class="infobox-title" style="font-size:125%;">European Patent Convention</caption><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above description" style="font-size: 100%; background-color:#ededed">Convention on the Grant of European Patents</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image" style="border-bottom:1px #aaa solid;padding-top:0.4em;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Office_europeen_brevets.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Office_europeen_brevets.svg/250px-Office_europeen_brevets.svg.png" decoding="async" width="250" height="191" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Office_europeen_brevets.svg/375px-Office_europeen_brevets.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Office_europeen_brevets.svg/500px-Office_europeen_brevets.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="680" data-file-height="520" /></a></span><div class="infobox-caption" style="padding:0.35em 0.35em 0.25em;line-height:1.25em;">European Patent Convention Contracting States in dark green, extension agreement states in light green and validation agreement states in blue</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Signed</th><td class="infobox-data">5 October 1973<span style="display:none"> (<span class="bday dtstart published updated itvstart">1973-10-05</span>)</span></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Location</th><td class="infobox-data location"><a href="/wiki/Munich" title="Munich">Munich</a>, Germany</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Effective</th><td class="infobox-data">7 October 1977</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Condition</th><td class="infobox-data">six States on whose territory the total number of patent applications filed in 1970 amounted to at least 180 000</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Signatories</th><td class="infobox-data attendee plainlist">16</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Parties</th><td class="infobox-data plainlist">39</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Depositary</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Cabinet_of_Germany" class="mw-redirect" title="Cabinet of Germany">Government of the Federal Republic of Germany</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Languages</th><td class="infobox-data hlist">English, French and German</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background: #ededed;">Full text</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/16px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="17" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/24px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/32px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="410" data-file-height="430" /></span></span> <a href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Convention_on_the_Grant_of_European_Patents" class="extiw" title="wikisource:Convention on the Grant of European Patents">Convention on the Grant of European Patents</a> at <a href="/wiki/Wikisource" title="Wikisource">Wikisource</a></td></tr></tbody></table> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1246091330">.mw-parser-output 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.sidebar-list-title-c{padding:0 0.4em;text-align:center;margin:0 3.3em}@media(max-width:640px){body.mediawiki .mw-parser-output .sidebar{width:100%!important;clear:both;float:none!important;margin-left:0!important;margin-right:0!important}}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .sidebar a>img{max-width:none!important}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:none!important}}</style><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks plainlist" style="width:auto;"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-title"><a href="/wiki/European_patent_law" title="European patent law">European patent law</a></th></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="line-height:1.2em; background:#aaddff; color:#000;"> <a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Organisation" title="European Patent Organisation">European Patent<br />Organisation</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">European Patent Convention</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Office" title="European Patent Office">European Patent Office</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="line-height:1.2em; background:#aaddff; color:#000;"> <a href="/wiki/Patent_law_of_the_European_Union" title="Patent law of the European Union">European Union</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Directive_on_the_patentability_of_biotechnological_inventions" class="mw-redirect" title="Directive on the patentability of biotechnological inventions">Biotech directive</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Supplementary_protection_certificate" title="Supplementary protection certificate">Supplementary protection certificate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unitary_patent" title="Unitary patent">Unitary patent</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unified_Patent_Court" title="Unified Patent Court">Unified Patent Court</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="line-height:1.2em; background:#aaddff; color:#000;"> <a href="/wiki/Eurasian_Patent_Organization" title="Eurasian Patent Organization">Eurasian Patent<br />Organization</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Eurasian_Patent_Convention" title="Eurasian Patent Convention">Eurasian Patent Convention</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eurasian_Patent_Organization" title="Eurasian Patent Organization">Eurasian Patent Organization</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="line-height:1.2em; background:#aaddff; color:#000;"> Centralization<br />and harmonization</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Brussels_Regime" title="Brussels Regime">Brussels Regime</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cross-border_injunction" title="Cross-border injunction">Cross-border injunction</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/London_Agreement_(2000)" title="London Agreement (2000)">London Agreement</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading" style="line-height:1.2em; background:#aaddff; color:#000;"> Historical proposals</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><div style="display:inline-block; padding:0.2em 0.4em; line-height:1.2em; line-height:1.1em;"><a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Litigation_Agreement" title="European Patent Litigation Agreement">European Patent Litigation<br />Agreement (EPLA)</a></div></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:European_patent_law" title="Template:European patent law"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:European_patent_law" title="Template talk:European patent law"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:European_patent_law" title="Special:EditPage/Template:European patent law"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The <b>European Patent Convention</b> (<b>EPC</b>), also known as the <b>Convention on the Grant of European Patents</b> of 5 October 1973, is a multilateral <a href="/wiki/Treaty" title="Treaty">treaty</a> instituting the <a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Organisation" title="European Patent Organisation">European Patent Organisation</a> and providing an autonomous legal system according to which <b>European patents</b> are granted. The term <i>European patent</i> is used to refer to patents granted under the European Patent Convention. However, a European patent is not a unitary right, but a group of essentially independent nationally enforceable, nationally revocable patents,<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>notes 1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> subject to central revocation or narrowing as a group pursuant to two types of unified, post-grant procedures: a time-limited <a href="/wiki/Opposition_procedure_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Opposition procedure before the European Patent Office">opposition procedure</a>, which can be initiated by any person except the patent proprietor, and <a href="/wiki/Limitation_and_revocation_procedures" class="mw-redirect" title="Limitation and revocation procedures">limitation and revocation procedures</a>, which can be initiated by the patent proprietor only. </p><p>The EPC provides a legal framework for the granting of European patents,<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> via a single, harmonised procedure before the <a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Office" title="European Patent Office">European Patent Office</a> (EPO). A single <a href="/wiki/Patent_application" title="Patent application">patent application</a>, in one language,<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> may be filed at the EPO in <a href="/wiki/Munich" title="Munich">Munich</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-Art75-1-a_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Art75-1-a-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> at its branch in <a href="/wiki/The_Hague" title="The Hague">The Hague</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-Art75-1-a_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Art75-1-a-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>notes 2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> at its sub-office in <a href="/wiki/Berlin" title="Berlin">Berlin</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or at a national patent office of a Contracting State, if the national law of the State so permits.<sup id="cite_ref-Art75-1-b_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Art75-1-b-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In September 1949, French Senator <a href="/wiki/Henri_Longchambon" title="Henri Longchambon">Henri Longchambon</a> proposed to the <a href="/wiki/Council_of_Europe" title="Council of Europe">Council of Europe</a> the creation of a European Patent Office. His proposal, known as the "Longchambon plan", marked the beginning of the work on a European patent law aimed at a "European patent".<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> His plan was however not found to be practicable by the Council's Committee of Experts in patent matters. The meetings of the Committee nevertheless led to two Conventions, one on the <a href="/wiki/European_Convention_relating_to_the_Formalities_required_for_Patent_Applications" title="European Convention relating to the Formalities required for Patent Applications">formalities required for patent applications</a> (1953) and one on the <a href="/wiki/European_Convention_on_the_International_Classification_of_Patents_for_Invention" title="European Convention on the International Classification of Patents for Invention">international classification of patent</a> (1954).<sup id="cite_ref-Tookey_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tookey-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Council's Committee then carried on its work on substantive patent law, resulting in the signature of the <a href="/wiki/Strasbourg_Patent_Convention" class="mw-redirect" title="Strasbourg Patent Convention">Strasbourg Patent Convention</a> in 1963.<sup id="cite_ref-Tookey_10-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tookey-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 1973, the <i>Munich Diplomatic Conference for the setting up of a European System for the Grant of Patents</i> took place and the Convention was then signed in Munich (the Convention is sometimes known as the "Munich Convention"). The signature of the Convention was the accomplishment of a decade-long discussion during which <a href="/wiki/Kurt_Haertel" title="Kurt Haertel">Kurt Haertel</a>, considered by many as the father of the European Patent Organisation, and <a href="/w/index.php?title=Fran%C3%A7ois_Savignon&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="François Savignon (page does not exist)">François Savignon</a> played a decisive role. </p><p>The Convention was officially signed by 16 countries on 5 October 1973.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Convention entered into force on 7 October 1977 for the following first countries: <a href="/wiki/Belgium" title="Belgium">Belgium</a>, Germany (then <a href="/wiki/West_Germany" title="West Germany">West Germany</a>), France, <a href="/wiki/Luxembourg" title="Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a>, <a href="/wiki/Switzerland" title="Switzerland">Switzerland</a> and the United Kingdom, and on 1 May 1978 for <a href="/wiki/Sweden" title="Sweden">Sweden</a>. However, the first patent applications were filed on 1 June 1978 (date fixed by the <a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Organisation#Administrative_Council" title="European Patent Organisation">Administrative Council</a> which held its first meeting on 19 October 1977). Subsequently, other countries have joined the EPC. </p><p>The EPC is separate from the European Union (EU), and its membership is different; <a href="/wiki/Switzerland" title="Switzerland">Switzerland</a>, <a href="/wiki/Liechtenstein" title="Liechtenstein">Liechtenstein</a>, <a href="/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a>, <a href="/wiki/Monaco" title="Monaco">Monaco</a>, <a href="/wiki/Iceland" title="Iceland">Iceland</a>, <a href="/wiki/Norway" title="Norway">Norway</a>, <a href="/wiki/North_Macedonia" title="North Macedonia">North Macedonia</a>, <a href="/wiki/San_Marino" title="San Marino">San Marino</a>, <a href="/wiki/Albania" title="Albania">Albania</a>, <a href="/wiki/Serbia" title="Serbia">Serbia</a>, the <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Montenegro" title="Montenegro">Montenegro</a> are party to the EPC but are not members of the EU. Further, the EU is not a party to the EPC, although all members of the EU are party to the EPC.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The Convention is, as of October 2022, in force in 39 countries.<sup id="cite_ref-members_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-members-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Montenegro" title="Montenegro">Montenegro</a> became the 39th Contracting State on 1 October 2022.<sup id="cite_ref-Montenegro_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Montenegro-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>A diplomatic conference was held in November 2000 in Munich to revise the Convention, amongst other things to integrate in the EPC new developments in <a href="/wiki/International_law" title="International law">international law</a> and to add a level of judicial review of the <a href="/wiki/Appeal_procedure_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Appeal procedure before the European Patent Office">Boards of Appeal</a> decisions. The revised text, informally called the <a href="/wiki/EPC_2000" title="EPC 2000">EPC 2000</a>, entered into force on 13 December 2007.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Cooperation_agreements_with_non-contracting_states:_extension_and_validation_agreements">Cooperation agreements with non-contracting states: extension and validation agreements</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Cooperation agreements with non-contracting states: extension and validation agreements"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div style="clear:right;" class=""></div> <table class="wikitable collapsible uncollapsed" style="width:35%; font-size:85%;" align="right"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="3" style="background:#efefef;">Contracting states and extension or validation states, in detail (with dates of entry into force). </th></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <table class="wikitable collapsible" style="width:100%;" align="center"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="3" style="background:#efefef;">Contracting States to the European Patent Convention, with respective date of entry into force </th></tr> <tr> <th>Date </th> <th colspan="2">States </th></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" style="width:32%">7 October 1977 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Belgium" title="Belgium">Belgium</a>, Germany (then <a href="/wiki/West_Germany" title="West Germany">West Germany</a>), France,<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>notes 3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Luxembourg" title="Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a>, <a href="/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>notes 4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Switzerland" title="Switzerland">Switzerland</a>, United Kingdom<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>notes 5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 May 1978 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Sweden" title="Sweden">Sweden</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 December 1978 </td> <td colspan="2">Italy </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 May 1979 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Austria" title="Austria">Austria</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 April 1980 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Liechtenstein" title="Liechtenstein">Liechtenstein</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 October 1986 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Greece" title="Greece">Greece</a>, Spain </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 January 1990 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Denmark" title="Denmark">Denmark</a><sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>notes 6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 December 1991 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Monaco" title="Monaco">Monaco</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 January 1992 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Portugal" title="Portugal">Portugal</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 August 1992 </td> <td colspan="2">Ireland </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 March 1996 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Finland" title="Finland">Finland</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 April 1998 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Cyprus" title="Cyprus">Cyprus</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 November 2000 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 July 2002 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Bulgaria" title="Bulgaria">Bulgaria</a>, <a href="/wiki/Czech_Republic" title="Czech Republic">Czech Republic</a>, <a href="/wiki/Estonia" title="Estonia">Estonia</a>, Slovakia </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 December 2002 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Slovenia" title="Slovenia">Slovenia</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 January 2003 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Hungary" title="Hungary">Hungary</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 March 2003 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Romania" title="Romania">Romania</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 March 2004 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Poland" title="Poland">Poland</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 November 2004 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Iceland" title="Iceland">Iceland</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 December 2004 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Lithuania" title="Lithuania">Lithuania</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 July 2005 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Latvia" title="Latvia">Latvia</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 March 2007 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Malta" title="Malta">Malta</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 January 2008 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Norway" title="Norway">Norway</a>, Croatia </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 January 2009 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/North_Macedonia" title="North Macedonia">North Macedonia (then Republic of Macedonia)</a> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 July 2009 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/San_Marino" title="San Marino">San Marino</a><sup id="cite_ref-san_marino_21-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-san_marino-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 May 2010 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Albania" title="Albania">Albania</a><sup id="cite_ref-albania_22-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-albania-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 October 2010 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Serbia" title="Serbia">Serbia</a><sup id="cite_ref-serbia_23-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-serbia-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 October 2022 </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/Montenegro" title="Montenegro">Montenegro</a><sup id="cite_ref-Montenegro_14-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Montenegro-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <table class="wikitable collapsible" style="width:100%;" align="center"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="3" style="background:#efefef;">States with an extension (E) or validation (V) agreement with the European Patent Office (EPO), with respective date of entry into force </th></tr> <tr> <th>Date </th> <th colspan="2">States </th></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" style="width:32%; text-align:left;">1 December 2004 </td> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;"><a href="/wiki/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina" title="Bosnia and Herzegovina">Bosnia and Herzegovina</a> (E) </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" style="width:32%; text-align:left;">1 March 2015 </td> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;"><a href="/wiki/Morocco" title="Morocco">Morocco</a><sup id="cite_ref-MA_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-MA-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> (V) </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" style="width:32%; text-align:left;">1 November 2015 </td> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;"><a href="/wiki/Moldova" title="Moldova">Moldova</a><sup id="cite_ref-Moldova-2015_25-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Moldova-2015-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> (V) </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" style="width:32%; text-align:left;">1 December 2017 </td> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;"><a href="/wiki/Tunisia" title="Tunisia">Tunisia</a><sup id="cite_ref-Tunisia_26-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tunisia-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> (V) </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" style="width:32%; text-align:left;">1 March 2018 </td> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;"><a href="/wiki/Cambodia" title="Cambodia">Cambodia</a><sup id="cite_ref-validation-agreement-KH_27-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-validation-agreement-KH-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> (V) </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" style="width:32%; text-align:left;">15 January 2024 </td> <td colspan="2" style="text-align:left;"><a href="/wiki/Georgia_(country)" title="Georgia (country)">Georgia</a><sup id="cite_ref-georgia-2023_28-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-georgia-2023-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> (V) </td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"> <table class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;" align="center"> <tbody><tr> <th colspan="3" style="background:#efefef;">States which had an extension agreement with the EPO, and which are now Contracting States to the EPC<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </th></tr> <tr> <th colspan="2">Period during which the agreement applied </th> <th rowspan="2">States </th></tr> <tr> <th>from </th> <th>to </th></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" style="width:32%">1 March 1994 </td> <td valign="top" style="width:32%">30 November 2002 </td> <td>Slovenia </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 March 1994 </td> <td valign="top">31 December 2007 </td> <td>Croatia </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">5 July 1994 </td> <td valign="top">30 November 2004 </td> <td>Lithuania </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 May 1995 </td> <td valign="top">30 June 2005 </td> <td>Latvia </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 February 1996 </td> <td valign="top">30 April 2010 </td> <td>Albania </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">15 October 1996 </td> <td valign="top">28 February 2003 </td> <td>Romania </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 November 1997 </td> <td valign="top">31 December 2008 </td> <td>North Macedonia (then Republic of Macedonia) </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 November 2004 </td> <td valign="top">30 September 2010 </td> <td>Serbia </td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top">1 March 2010 </td> <td valign="top">30 September 2022 </td> <td>Montenegro </td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p>Throughout the history of the EPC, some non-contracting States have concluded cooperation agreements with the European Patent Organisation, known as extension or validation agreements. These states then became "extension states" or "validation states", which means that European patents granted by the EPO may be extended to those countries through the payment of additional fees and completion of certain formalities. Such cooperation agreements are concluded by the President of the European Patent Office on behalf of the European Patent Organisation pursuant to <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a33.html">Article 33(4)</a> EPC, are not based on a "direct application of the EPC but solely on national law modelled on the EPC",<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and exist to assist with the establishment of national property rights in these states.<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As is the case in EPO contracting states, the rights conferred to European patents validated/extended to these states are the same as national patents in those states. However, the extension of a European patent or patent application to these states is "not subject to the jurisdiction of the [EPO] boards of appeal."<sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>As of October 2022, <a href="/wiki/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina" title="Bosnia and Herzegovina">Bosnia and Herzegovina</a> has an extension agreement with the EPO so that, in effect, this state can be designated in a European patent application. Several other "extension states" have since become states parties to the EPC. Furthermore, so-called "validation agreements" with Morocco, Moldova, Tunisia, and Cambodia are also in effect since 1 March 2015, 1 November 2015, 1 December 2017, and 1 March 2018, respectively.<sup id="cite_ref-MA_24-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-MA-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-33"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>27<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Moldova-2015_25-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Moldova-2015-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Tunisia_26-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Tunisia-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>28<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-validation-agreement-KH_27-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-validation-agreement-KH-27"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A further validation agreement was signed with <a href="/wiki/Georgia_(country)" title="Georgia (country)">Georgia</a> on 31 October 2019 and entered into force on 15 January 2024.<sup id="cite_ref-georgia-2019_35-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-georgia-2019-35"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>29<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-georgia-2023_28-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-georgia-2023-28"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Legal_nature_and_content">Legal nature and content</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Legal nature and content"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><table class="sidebar nomobile plainlist"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-title" style="; font-size:115%;">Legal requirements applicable to <a class="mw-selflink selflink">European patent applications and patents</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Patentable_subject-matter_under_the_European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Patentable subject-matter under the European Patent Convention (page does not exist)">Patentable subject-matter <span style="font-size:85%;">(Article 52)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Novelty_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Novelty under the European Patent Convention">Novelty <span style="font-size:85%;">(Article 54)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Inventive_step_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Inventive step under the European Patent Convention">Inventive step <span style="font-size:85%;">(Article 56)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Industrial_applicability_under_the_European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Industrial applicability under the European Patent Convention (page does not exist)">Industrial applicability <span style="font-size:85%;">(Article 57)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unity_of_invention_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Unity of invention under the European Patent Convention">Unity of invention <span style="font-size:85%;">(Article 82)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Disclosure_of_the_invention_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Disclosure of the invention under the European Patent Convention">Disclosure of the invention <span style="font-size:85%;">(Article 83)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Claims_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Claims under the European Patent Convention">Claims <span style="font-size:85%;">(Article 84)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Amendments_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Amendments under the European Patent Convention">Amendments <span style="font-size:85%;">(Article 123)</span></a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below" style="padding:0.4em;border-top:1px #aaa solid;font-weight:normal;font-size:smaller;"> Note: The above list of legal requirements is not exhaustive.</td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:EPC_requirements" title="Template:EPC requirements"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:EPC_requirements" title="Template talk:EPC requirements"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:EPC_requirements" title="Special:EditPage/Template:EPC requirements"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The European Patent Convention is "a special agreement within the meaning of Article 19 of the <a href="/wiki/Convention_for_the_Protection_of_Industrial_Property" class="mw-redirect" title="Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property">Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property</a>, signed in Paris on 20 March 1883 and last revised on 14 July 1967, and a regional patent treaty within the meaning of Article 45, paragraph 1, of the <a href="/wiki/Patent_Cooperation_Treaty" title="Patent Cooperation Treaty">Patent Cooperation Treaty</a> of 19 June 1970."<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>30<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The European Patent Convention currently does not lead to the grant of centrally enforceable patents in all 39 countries, although the <a href="/wiki/European_Union_patent" class="mw-redirect" title="European Union patent">European Union patent</a> would allow for unitary effect: centrally enforceability throughout 24 of the 27 countries of the European Union. </p><p>The content of the Convention includes several texts in addition to the main 178 articles.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-37"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>31<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> These additional texts, which are integral parts of the Convention,<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>32<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> are: </p> <ul><li>the "Implementing Regulations to the Convention on the Grant of European patents", commonly known as the "Implementing Regulations". The function of the Implementing Regulations is "to determine in more detail how the Articles should be applied".<sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>33<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In case of conflict between the provisions of the EPC and those of the Implementing Regulations, the provisions of the EPC prevail.<sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-40"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>34<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>the "Protocol on Jurisdiction and the recognition of decisions in respect of the right to the grant of a European patent", commonly known as the "Protocol on Recognition". This protocol deals with the right to the grant of a European patent but exclusively applies to European patent applications.</li> <li>the "Protocol on Privileges and Immunities of the European Patent Organisation", commonly known as the "Protocol on Privileges and Immunities";</li> <li>the "Protocol on the Centralisation of the European Patent System and on its Introduction", commonly known as the "Protocol on Centralisation";</li> <li>the "Protocol on the Interpretation of Article 69 of the Convention";</li> <li>the "Protocol on the Staff Complement of the European Patent Office at The Hague", commonly known as the "Protocol on Staff Complement".</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Substantive_patent_law">Substantive patent law</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Substantive patent law"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>One of the most important articles of the Convention, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a52.html">Article 52(1)</a> EPC, entitled "<i>Patentable <a href="/wiki/Invention" title="Invention">inventions</a></i>", states: </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1244412712">.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 32px}.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;margin-top:0}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .templatequotecite{padding-left:1.6em}}</style><blockquote class="templatequote"><p>European patents shall be granted for any inventions, in all fields of technology, providing that they are <a href="/wiki/Novelty_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Novelty under the European Patent Convention">new</a>, involve an <a href="/wiki/Inventive_step_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Inventive step under the European Patent Convention">inventive step</a>, and are susceptible of <a href="/wiki/Industrial_applicability" title="Industrial applicability">industrial application</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-41"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>35<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote> <p>This article constitutes the "fundamental provision of the EPC which governs the patentability of inventions".<sup id="cite_ref-T_154/04-r6_42-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-T_154/04-r6-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>However, the EPC provides further indications on what is and is not patentable. Specifically, the EPC sets forth exclusions under Article 52(2) and (3) EPC and exclusions under Article 53 EPC. </p><p>First, <a href="/wiki/Discovery_(observation)" title="Discovery (observation)">discoveries</a>, <a href="/wiki/Theory" title="Theory">scientific theories</a>, mathematical methods,<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-43"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>37<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> aesthetic creations,<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>38<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> schemes, rules and methods for performing mental acts, playing games or doing business, programs for computers<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-45"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>39<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and presentations of information<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>40<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> are not regarded as inventions<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-47"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>41<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and are excluded from patentability only to the extent that the invention relates to those areas <i>as such</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-48"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>42<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This is "a negative, non-exhaustive list of what should not be regarded as an invention within the meaning of Article 52(1) EPC."<sup id="cite_ref-T_154/04-r6_42-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-T_154/04-r6-42"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>36<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <i>(For further information, see also: <a href="/wiki/Software_patents_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Software patents under the European Patent Convention">Software patents under the EPC</a>).</i> </p><p>The second set of exclusions, or exceptions, include: </p> <ul><li>Inventions contrary to "<i>ordre public</i>" or morality (Article 53(a) EPC),<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-49"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>43<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>Plant or animal varieties and essentially biological processes for the production of plants and animals (Article 53(b) EPC),<sup id="cite_ref-50" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-50"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>44<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and</li> <li>Methods for treatment of the human or animal body by surgery or therapy, and <a href="/wiki/Medical_diagnosis" title="Medical diagnosis">diagnostic</a> methods practised on the human or animal body (Article 53(c) EPC),<sup id="cite_ref-53-c_51-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-53-c-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-52"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>46<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> which have been excluded for "socio-ethical considerations and considerations of <a href="/wiki/Public_health" title="Public health">public health</a>".<sup id="cite_ref-53" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-53"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>47<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Products, "in particular substances or compositions", for use in any of these therapeutic or diagnostic methods are not excluded from patentability, however.<sup id="cite_ref-53-c_51-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-53-c-51"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>45<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Unified_prosecution_phase">Unified prosecution phase</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Unified prosecution phase"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Grant_procedure_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Grant procedure before the European Patent Office">Grant procedure before the European Patent Office</a></div> <p>The Convention also includes provisions setting out filing requirements of European applications, the procedure up to grant, the opposition procedure and other aspects relating to the prosecution of patent applications under the Convention. </p><p>European patent applications may be filed in any language, but they are prosecuted only in one of the three official languages of the EPO – English, French and German. If an application is filed in another language than an official language, a translation must be filed into one of the three official languages,<sup id="cite_ref-54" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-54"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>48<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> within two months from the date of filing.<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-55"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>49<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The official language of filing (or of the translation) is adopted as the "language of proceedings" and is used by the EPO for communications. </p><p>European patent applications are <a href="/wiki/Patent_prosecution" title="Patent prosecution">prosecuted</a> in a similar fashion to most patent systems – the invention is searched and published, and subsequently examined for compliance with the requirements of the EPC. </p><p>During the prosecution phase, a European patent is a single regional proceeding, and "the grant of a European patent may be requested for one or more of the Contracting States."<sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-56"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>50<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> All Contracting States are considered designated upon filing of a European patent application.<sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-57"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>51<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and the designations need to be "confirmed" later during the procedure through the payment of designation fees.<sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-58"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>52<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Once granted by the EPO,<sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-59"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>53<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> a European patent comes into existence effectively as a group of national patents in each of the designated Contracting States. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Opposition">Opposition</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Opposition"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Opposition_procedure_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Opposition procedure before the European Patent Office">Opposition procedure before the European Patent Office</a></div> <p>There are only two types of centrally executed procedures after grant, the opposition procedure and the <a href="/wiki/Limitation_and_revocation_procedures_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Limitation and revocation procedures before the European Patent Office">limitation and revocation procedures</a>. The opposition procedure, governed by the EPC, allows third parties to file an opposition against a European patent within 9 months of the date of grant of that patent.<sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-60"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>54<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It is a <a href="/wiki/Quasi-judicial_body" title="Quasi-judicial body">quasi-judicial</a> process, subject to appeal, which can lead to maintenance, maintenance in amended form or revocation of a European patent. Simultaneously to the opposition, a European patent may be the subject of litigation at a national level (for example an infringement dispute). National courts may suspend such infringement proceedings pending outcome of the opposition proceedings to avoid proceedings running in parallel and the uncertainties that may arise from that. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Grant,_effect_and_need_for_translations"><span id="Grant.2C_effect_and_need_for_translations"></span>Grant, effect and need for translations</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Grant, effect and need for translations"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In contrast to the unified, regional character of a European patent application, the granted European patent does not comprise, in effect, any such unitary character, except for the opposition procedure.<sup id="cite_ref-61" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-61"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>notes 7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In other words, one European patent in one Contracting State<sup id="cite_ref-62" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-62"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>notes 8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> is effectively independent of the same European patent in each other Contracting State, except for the opposition procedure. </p><p>A European patent confers rights on its proprietor, in each Contracting State in respect of which it is granted, from the date of publication of the mention of its grant in the <a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Bulletin" title="European Patent Bulletin">European Patent Bulletin</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-63" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-63"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>55<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> That is also the date of publication of the B1 document, i.e. the European patent specification.<sup id="cite_ref-64" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-64"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>56<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This means that the European patent is granted and confers rights in all its designated Contracting States at the date of mention of the grant, whether or not a prescribed translation is filed with a national patent office later on (though the right may later be deemed never to have existed in any particular State if a translation is not subsequently filed in time, as described below). </p><p>A translation of a granted European patent must be filed in some EPC Contracting States to avoid loss of right. Namely, in the Contracting States which have "prescribe[d] that if the text, in which the European Patent Office intends to grant a European patent (...) is not drawn up in one of its official languages, the applicant for or proprietor of the patent shall supply to its central industrial property office a translation of this text in one of its official languages at his option or, where that State has prescribed the use of one specific official language, in that language".<sup id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-65"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>57<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The European patent is <i><a href="/wiki/Void_ab_initio" class="mw-redirect" title="Void ab initio">void ab initio</a></i> in a designated Contracting State where the required translation (if required) is not filed within the prescribed time limit after grant.<sup id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-66"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>58<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In other Contracting States, no translation needs to be filed, for example in Ireland if the European patent is in English. In those Contracting States where the <a href="/wiki/London_Agreement_(2000)" title="London Agreement (2000)">London Agreement</a> is in force the requirement to file a translation of the European patent has been entirely or partially waived.<sup id="cite_ref-67" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-67"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>59<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> If a translation is required, a fee covering the publication of said translation may be due as well.<sup id="cite_ref-68" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-68"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>60<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Enforcement_and_validity">Enforcement and validity</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Enforcement and validity"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Enforcement_of_European_patents" title="Enforcement of European patents">Enforcement of European patents</a></div> <p>Almost all attributes of a European patent in a Contracting State, i.e. ownership, validity, and infringement, are determined independently under respective national law, except for the opposition procedure, limitation procedure, and revocation procedure as discussed above. Though the EPC imposes some common limits, the EPC expressly adopts national law for interpretation of all substantive attributes of a European patent in a Contracting State, with a few exceptions.<sup id="cite_ref-69" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-69"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>61<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Infringement">Infringement</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Infringement"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Patent_infringement" title="Patent infringement">Infringement</a> is remitted entirely to national law and to national courts.<sup id="cite_ref-70" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-70"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>62<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In one of its very few substantive interventions into national law, the EPC requires that national courts must consider the "direct product of a patented process" to be an infringement.<sup id="cite_ref-71" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-71"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>63<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The "extent of the protection" conferred by a European patent is determined primarily by reference to the claims of the European patent (rather than by the disclosure of the specification and <a href="/wiki/Patent_drawing" title="Patent drawing">drawings</a>, as in some older patent systems), though the description and drawings are to be used as interpretive aids in determining the meaning of the claims.<sup id="cite_ref-72" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-72"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>64<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A "Protocol on the Interpretation of Article 69 EPC" provides further guidance, that claims are to be construed using a "fair" middle position, neither "strict, literal" nor as mere guidelines to considering the description and drawings, though of course even the protocol is subject to national interpretation.<sup id="cite_ref-73" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-73"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>65<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The authentic text of a European patent application and of a European patent are the documents in the language of the proceedings.<sup id="cite_ref-74" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-74"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>66<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-SingerArt2Precedence_75-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-SingerArt2Precedence-75"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>67<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>All other substantive rights attached to a European patent in a Contracting State, such as what acts constitute infringement (indirect and divided infringement, infringement by equivalents, extraterritorial infringement, infringement outside the term of the patent with economic effect during the term of the patent, infringement of product claims by processes for making or using, exports, assembly of parts into an infringing whole, etc.), the effect of prosecution history on interpretation of the claims, remedies for infringement or bad faith enforcement (injunction, damages, attorney fees, other civil penalties for wilful infringement, etc.), equitable defences, coexistence of an EP national daughter and a national patent for identical subject matter, ownership and assignment, extensions to patent term for regulatory approval, etc., are expressly remitted to national law.<sup id="cite_ref-76" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-76"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>68<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>For a period in the late-1990s, national courts issued cross-border injunctions covering all EP jurisdictions, but this has been limited by the <a href="/wiki/European_Court_of_Justice" title="European Court of Justice">European Court of Justice</a>. In two cases in July 2006 interpreting Articles 6.1 and 16.4 of the <a href="/wiki/Brussels_Regime" title="Brussels Regime">Brussels Convention</a>, the European Court of Justice held that European patents are national rights that must be enforced nationally, that it was "unavoidable" that infringements of the same European patent have to be litigated in each relevant national court, even if the lawsuit is against the same group of companies, and that cross-border injunctions are not available.<sup id="cite_ref-77" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-77"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>69<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Validity">Validity</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Validity"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Validity is also remitted largely to national law and national courts. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a138.html">Article 138(1)</a> EPC limits the application of national law to only the following grounds of invalidity, and specifies that the standards for each ground are those of national law: </p> <ul><li>if the subject-matter of the European patent is not patentable within the terms of Articles 52 to 57 EPC (see "Substantive patent law" section above);</li> <li>if the <a href="/wiki/Disclosure_of_the_invention_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Disclosure of the invention under the European Patent Convention">disclosure does not permit the invention to be carried out by a person skilled in the art</a>;<sup id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-78"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>70<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>if <a href="/wiki/Amendments_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Amendments under the European Patent Convention">amendments have been made</a> such that the subject-matter extends beyond the content of the application as filed;<sup id="cite_ref-79" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-79"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>71<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>if the claims have been broadened post-grant, e.g. in opposition proceedings;<sup id="cite_ref-80" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-80"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>72<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>an improper proprietor<sup id="cite_ref-81" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-81"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>73<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>—in some jurisdictions, only the person pretending to be entitled to the European patent can raise this specific ground, so that the resulting nullity of the patent may be relative to some persons only.<sup id="cite_ref-82" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-82"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>74<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Term_(duration)_of_a_European_patent"><span id="Term_.28duration.29_of_a_European_patent"></span>Term (duration) of a European patent</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Term (duration) of a European patent"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The EPC requires all jurisdictions to give a European patent a <a href="/wiki/Term_of_patent" title="Term of patent">term</a> of 20 years from the filing date,<sup id="cite_ref-83" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-83"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>75<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the filing date being the actual date of filing an application for a European patent or the date of filing of an international application under the <a href="/wiki/Patent_Cooperation_Treaty" title="Patent Cooperation Treaty">PCT</a> designating the EPO. The filing date is not necessarily the <a href="/wiki/Priority_right" title="Priority right">priority date</a>, which can be up to one year earlier.<sup id="cite_ref-84" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-84"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>notes 9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The term of a granted European patent may be extended under national law if national law provides term extension to compensate for pre-marketing regulatory approval.<sup id="cite_ref-85" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-85"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>76<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> For <a href="/wiki/European_Economic_Area" title="European Economic Area">EEA</a> member states this is by means of a <a href="/wiki/Supplementary_protection_certificate" title="Supplementary protection certificate">supplementary protection certificate</a> (SPC). </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Relation_with_the_Patent_Cooperation_Treaty">Relation with the Patent Cooperation Treaty</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Relation with the Patent Cooperation Treaty"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A European patent application may result from the filing of an international application under the <a href="/wiki/Patent_Cooperation_Treaty" title="Patent Cooperation Treaty">Patent Cooperation Treaty</a> (PCT), i.e. the filing of a PCT application, and then the entry into "European regional phase",<sup id="cite_ref-86" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-86"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>77<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> i.e. the transition from the international to the European procedural stages. The European patent application is therefore said to be a "Euro-PCT application" and the EPO is said to act as a designated or elected Office.<sup id="cite_ref-87" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-87"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>78<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In case of conflict between the provisions of the EPC and those of the PCT, the provisions of the PCT and its Regulations prevail over those of the EPC.<sup id="cite_ref-88" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-88"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>79<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Twelve EPC Contracting States, namely <a href="/wiki/Belgium" title="Belgium">Belgium</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cyprus" title="Cyprus">Cyprus</a>, France, <a href="/wiki/Greece" title="Greece">Greece</a>, Ireland, <a href="/wiki/Latvia" title="Latvia">Latvia</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-89" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-89"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>80<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Malta" title="Malta">Malta</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-90" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-90"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>81<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Monaco" title="Monaco">Monaco</a>, <a href="/wiki/Montenegro" title="Montenegro">Montenegro</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-91" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-91"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>82<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the <a href="/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a>, <a href="/wiki/San_Marino" title="San Marino">San Marino</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-92" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-92"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>83<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="/wiki/Slovenia" title="Slovenia">Slovenia</a>, have "closed their national route".<sup id="cite_ref-93" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-93"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>84<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This means that, for these countries, it is not possible to obtain a national patent through the international (PCT) phase without entering into the regional European phase and obtaining a European patent. The "national route" for Italy was closed until 30 June 2020, but Italy then reopened it for PCT applications filed on or after 1 July 2020.<sup id="cite_ref-Italy-national-route_94-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Italy-national-route-94"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>85<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Glossary_of_patent_law_terms" title="Glossary of patent law terms">Glossary of patent law terms</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vienna_Convention_on_the_Law_of_Treaties" title="Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties">Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties</a> (1969)</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width" style="column-width: 30em;"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The view that a European patent issues as independent national patents in each designated Contracting state is very convenient from a practical point of view. Some however consider this view as incorrect: <dl><dd>"<i>The view that, after grant, a European patent breaks up into a bundle of national patents in designated Contracting States may appear plausible, but it is incorrect both in law and systematically</i>", Singer/Stauder, <i>The European Patent Convention, A Commentary</i>, Munich, 2003, under Article 2.</dd></dl> Singer/Stauder's view seems in turn rather theoretical in view of decisions <i>Roche Nederland BV v Primus</i> and <i>GAT v LUK</i> of the <a href="/wiki/European_Court_of_Justice" title="European Court of Justice">European Court of Justice</a> (see also "Enforcement and validity" section), which reinforced the independent character of a European patent in each Contracting State. As Tom Scourfield wrote in an article commenting on these two decisions: <dl><dd>"<i>(...) a European patent is no more than a bundle of national patents pursuant to a single application. Until a true community patent becomes a reality it seems likely that true community enforcement will continue to elude patent owners.</i>" Tom Scourfield, <i>Jurisdiction and Patents: ECJ rules on forum for validity and cross-border patent enforcement</i>, The CIPA Journal, August 2006, Volume 35 No. 8, p. 535.</dd></dl> </span></li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The Hague branch of the EPO is actually located in <a href="/wiki/Rijswijk" title="Rijswijk">Rijswijk</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The European Patent Convention (EPC) applies also to <a href="/wiki/French_overseas_territories" class="mw-redirect" title="French overseas territories">French overseas territories</a>. See <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.epo.org/epo/pubs/oj013/04_13/04_2523.pdf">Synopsis of the territorial field of application of international patent treaties (situation on 1 March 2013)</a>, EPO OJ 4/2013, p. 269, footnote 4.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The European Patent Convention was ratified on 7 October 1977 for the <a href="/wiki/European_Netherlands" class="mw-redirect" title="European Netherlands">European Netherlands</a>. From 4 April 2007, the EPC applied also to the <a href="/wiki/Netherlands_Antilles" title="Netherlands Antilles">Netherlands Antilles</a> (presently <a href="/wiki/Caribbean_Netherlands" title="Caribbean Netherlands">Caribbean Netherlands</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cura%C3%A7ao" title="Curaçao">Curaçao</a> and <a href="/wiki/Sint_Maarten" title="Sint Maarten">Sint Maarten</a>). The Convention does not apply to <a href="/wiki/Aruba" title="Aruba">Aruba</a>. See <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.epo.org/epo/pubs/oj013/04_13/04_2523.pdf">Synopsis of the territorial field of application of international patent treaties (situation on 1 March 2013)</a>, EPO OJ 4/2013, p. 269, footnote 6, and <a href="/wiki/Guidelines_for_Examination_in_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office">Guidelines for Examination in the EPO</a>, section <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/guidelines/e/foreword_6.htm"><span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">foreword_6</span></a> "Contracting States to the EPC".</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The European Patent Convention also applies to the <a href="/wiki/Isle_of_Man" title="Isle of Man">Isle of Man</a>. See <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.epo.org/epo/pubs/oj013/04_13/04_2523.pdf">Synopsis of the territorial field of application of international patent treaties (situation on 1 March 2013)</a>, EPO OJ 4/2013, p. 269, footnote 7. Furthermore, European patents in force in the UK can also be registered in the <a href="/wiki/British_overseas_territories" class="mw-redirect" title="British overseas territories">Crown dependencies and overseas territories</a> Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos Islands, as well as the <a href="/wiki/British_Commonwealth" class="mw-redirect" title="British Commonwealth">British Commonwealth</a> countries Belize, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, generally within 3 years of grant of the European patent as explained in <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/official-journal/2018/11/a97.html">"Registration of European patents (UK) in crown dependencies, UK overseas territories and Commonwealth countries", OJ EPO 2018, A97</a>. Finally, regarding registration of European patent applications and patents in the <a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong_Special_Administrative_Region" class="mw-redirect" title="Hong Kong Special Administrative Region">Hong Kong Special Administrative Region</a> (SAR) is also possible, see <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.epo.org/epo/pubs/oj009/11_09/11_5469.pdf">"Patent protection in Hong Kong Special Administration Region", OJ EPO 2009, 546</a> and <a href="/wiki/Patent_law_in_Hong_Kong" title="Patent law in Hong Kong">patent law in Hong Kong</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">The European Patent Convention does not apply however to <a href="/wiki/Greenland" title="Greenland">Greenland</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Faroe_Islands" title="Faroe Islands">Faroe Islands</a>. See <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.epo.org/epo/pubs/oj013/04_13/04_2523.pdf">Synopsis of the territorial field of application of international patent treaties (situation on 1 March 2013)</a>, EPO OJ 4/2013, p. 269, footnote 3.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-61"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-61">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">In addition to the opposition procedure and even after it has ended, particular acts can still be performed before the European Patent Office, such as requesting a rectification of an incorrect designation of inventor under <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/r19.html">Rule 19(1)</a> EPC. <sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="margin-left:0.1em; white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items" title="Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers"><span title="The text near this tag is dated. (November 2010)">needs update</span></a></i>]</sup> "Rectification may [indeed] be requested after the proceedings before the EPO are terminated" (Guid. A III 5.6).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-62"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-62">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">There is no consistent usage of a particular expression to refer to "the European patent in a particular designated Contracting State for which it is granted". The article uses the expression "a European patent in a Contracting State" which is considered to be the most consistent with the authoritative text, i.e. the EPC.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-84"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-84">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">In rare cases, the filing date can be even more than one year after the priority date if the applicant missed the priority year and successfully obtained a <a href="/wiki/Restitutio_in_integrum_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Restitutio in integrum under the European Patent Convention">re-establishment of rights</a> in respect of the priority period. See <a href="/wiki/Guidelines_for_Examination_in_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office">Guidelines for Examination in the EPO</a>, section <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/guidelines/e/f_vi_3_6.htm"><span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">f</span>-<span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">vi</span>, 3.6</a> .</span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626"><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a2.html">Article 2(1)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a14.html">Article 14</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Art75-1-a-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Art75-1-a_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Art75-1-a_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a75.html">Article 75(1)(a)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/g880007ep1.html">Enlarged Board of Appeal decision G 7/88 (Administrative Agreement) of 16.11.1990</a>, Summary of Facts and Submissions, V.(3)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.epo.org/epo/pubs/oj1989/p189_270.pdf">Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 10 May 1989 on the setting up of a Filing Office in the Berlin sub-office of the European Patent Office</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170113013007/http://archive.epo.org/epo/pubs/oj1989/p189_270.pdf">Archived</a> 13 January 2017 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></i>, OJ 1989, 218</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Art75-1-b-8"><span 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">23 January</span> 2024</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=epo.org&rft.atitle=OJ+EPO+2023%2C+A105+%E2%80%93+Validation+of+European+patents+in+Georgia+%28GE%29+with+effect+from+15+January+2024&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.epo.org%2Fen%2Flegal%2Fofficial-journal%2F2023%2F12%2Fa105.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-29">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Guidelines_for_Examination_in_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office">Guidelines for Examination in the EPO</a>, section <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/guidelines/e/a_iii_12_1.htm"><span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">a</span>-<span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">iii</span>, 12.1</a> : "Extension and validation of European patent applications and patents to/in states not party to the EPC" > "General remarks".</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-30">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/natlaw/en/a/index.htm">"National Law relating to EPC"</a>. EPO<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">25 January</span> 2015</span>. <q>The extension system largely corresponds to the EPC system operating in the EPC contracting states, except that it is based not on direct application of the EPC but solely on national law modelled on the EPC. It is therefore subject to the national extension rules of the country concerned.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=National+Law+relating+to+EPC&rft.pub=EPO&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epo.org%2Flaw-practice%2Flegal-texts%2Fhtml%2Fnatlaw%2Fen%2Fa%2Findex.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-31">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Legal Research Service for the Boards of Appeal, European Patent Office, <i><a href="/wiki/Case_Law_of_the_Boards_of_Appeal_of_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Case Law of the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office">Case Law of the Boards of Appeal of the EPO</a></i> (9th edition, July 2019), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/caselaw/2019/e/clr_vii_2_1.htm"><span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">vii</span>.<span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">2</span>.1</a> : "Extension agreements and ordinances", "Legal nature"</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-32">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Legal Research Service for the Boards of Appeal, European Patent Office, <i><a href="/wiki/Case_Law_of_the_Boards_of_Appeal_of_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Case Law of the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office">Case Law of the Boards of Appeal of the EPO</a></i> (9th edition, July 2019), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/caselaw/2019/e/clr_vii_2_2.htm"><span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">vii</span>.<span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">2</span>.2</a> : "No jurisdiction of the boards of appeal"</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-33">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150305203949/http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2015/20150302.html">"Validation agreement with Morocco enters into force"</a>. EPO. 1 March 2015. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2015/20150302.html">the original</a> on 5 March 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">6 March</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Validation+agreement+with+Morocco+enters+into+force&rft.pub=EPO&rft.date=2015-03-01&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epo.org%2Fnews-issues%2Fnews%2F2015%2F20150302.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-34">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.epo.org/about-us/foundation/validation-states.html">"Validation states"</a>. European Patent Office<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">6 October</span> 2017</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Validation+states&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epo.org%2Fabout-us%2Ffoundation%2Fvalidation-states.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-georgia-2019-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-georgia-2019_35-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191105220540/https://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2019/20191105b.html">"Simplifying access to patent protection in Georgia"</a>. <i>epo.org</i>. European Patent Office. 5 November 2019. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/news-issues/news/2019/20191105b.html">the original</a> on 5 November 2019<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">6 November</span> 2019</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=epo.org&rft.atitle=Simplifying+access+to+patent+protection+in+Georgia&rft.date=2019-11-05&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.epo.org%2Fnews-issues%2Fnews%2F2019%2F20191105b.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-36">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160730123735/http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2013/e/apre.html">"Preamble [of the European Patent Convention]"</a>. EPO. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2013/e/apre.html">the original</a> on 30 July 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">25 January</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Preamble+%5Bof+the+European+Patent+Convention%5D&rft.pub=EPO&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epo.org%2Flaw-practice%2Flegal-texts%2Fhtml%2Fepc%2F2013%2Fe%2Fapre.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span> See also <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/pdf/g980002ep1.pdf">Enlarged Board of Appeal opinion G2/98</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170711033921/http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/pdf/g980002ep1.pdf">Archived</a> 11 July 2017 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a>, "Reasons for the Opinion", point 3, first sentence: "The EPC constitutes, according to its preamble, a special agreement within the meaning of Article 19 of the Paris Convention".</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-37">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160802033141/http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2013/e/ma1.html">"The European Patent Convention"</a>. EPO. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2013/e/ma1.html">the original</a> on 2 August 2016<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">25 January</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+European+Patent+Convention&rft.pub=EPO&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epo.org%2Flaw-practice%2Flegal-texts%2Fhtml%2Fepc%2F2013%2Fe%2Fma1.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-38">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a164.html">Article 164(1)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-39">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Legal Research Service for the Boards of Appeal, European Patent Office, <i><a href="/wiki/Case_Law_of_the_Boards_of_Appeal_of_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Case Law of the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office">Case Law of the Boards of Appeal of the EPO</a></i> (9th edition, July 2019), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/caselaw/2019/e/clr_iii_h_6.htm"><span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">iii</span>.<span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">h</span>.6</a> : "Implementing Regulations"</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-40">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a164.html">Article 164(2)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-41">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">See <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a52.html">Article 52(1)</a> EPC. The state of the art is further defined in Articles 54(2)-(5), and a limited grace period is specified in <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a55.html">Article 55</a> EPC, but this is only relevant in cases of breach of confidence or disclosure of the invention in a recognised international exhibition.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-T_154/04-r6-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-T_154/04-r6_42-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-T_154/04-r6_42-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/t040154ex1.html">Decision T 154/04</a> of 15 November 2006, Reasons 6.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-43">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a52.html">Article 52(2)(a)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-44">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a52.html">Article 52(2)(b)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-45">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a52.html">Article 52(2)(c)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-46">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a52.html">Article 52(2)(d)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-47">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a52.html">Article 52(2)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-48"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-48">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a52.html">Article 52(3)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-49"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-49">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a53.html">Article 53(a)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-50"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-50">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a53.html">Article 53(b)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-53-c-51"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-53-c_51-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-53-c_51-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a53.html">Article 53(c)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-52"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-52">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/en/boards-of-appeal/decisions/t211920eu1">"T 1920/21 (Breath test/INFAI) 16-01-2024 | Epo.org"</a>. <i>epo.org</i>. Reasons 2. <q>Under Article 53(c) EPC diagnostic methods practised on the human or animal body are excluded from patentability.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=epo.org&rft.atitle=T+1920%2F21+%28Breath+test%2FINFAI%29+16-01-2024+%7C+Epo.org&rft.pages=Reasons+2&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.epo.org%2Fen%2Fboards-of-appeal%2Fdecisions%2Ft211920eu1&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-53"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-53">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://documents.epo.org/projects/babylon/eponet.nsf/0/cdd5fb0c3153e9c3c12576cb00563d2d/$FILE/G1_07_en.pdf">Decision G 1/07 of 15 February 2010</a>, Reasons 3.3.6. See also <a href="/wiki/G_1/07" title="G 1/07">G 1/07</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-54"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-54">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a14.html">Article 14(2)</a> EPC; <a href="/wiki/Guidelines_for_Examination_in_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office">Guidelines for Examination in the EPO</a>, section <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/guidelines/e/a_vii_1_1.htm"><span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">a</span>-<span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">vii</span>, 1.1</a> : "Admissible languages; time limit for filing the translation of the application"; "European patent applications can be filed in any language."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-55"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-55">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/r6.html">Rule 6(1)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-56"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-56">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a3.html">Article 3</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-57"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-57">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a79.html">Article 79</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-58"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-58">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a79.html">Article 79(2)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-59"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-59">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a4.html">Article 4</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-60"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-60">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a99.html">Article 99</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-63"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-63">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a64.html">Article 64(1)</a> EPC: EP patent has same effect as national patent in "each Contracting State in respect of which it is granted"; <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a97.html">Article 97(2) and (4)</a> EPC: decision to grant "for the designated Contracting States" is made by the examining division.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-64"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-64">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a98.html">Article 98</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-65"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-65">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a65.html">Article 65(1)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-66"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-66">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a65.html">Article 65(3)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-67"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-67">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFVeroneseWatchorn2008">Veronese & Watchorn 2008</a>, Chapter XI.4</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-68"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-68">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a65.html">Article 65(2)</a> EPC; <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.european-patent-office.org/legal/national/html/en/iv/index.htm">National law, Chapter IV, Filing of translations of the patent specification under Article 65 EPC</a> (regarding implementation in EPC Contracting States)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-69"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-69">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">e.g. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a2.html">Article 2(2)</a> EPC, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a64.html">Article 64(1) and(3)</a> EPC, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a66.html">Article 66</a> EPC, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a74.html">Article 74</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-70"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-70">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a64.html">Article 64(3)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-71"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-71">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a64.html">Article 64(2)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-72"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-72">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a69.html">Article 69(1)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-73"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-73">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>E.g.</i>, <i>Southco Inc v Dzus</i>, [1992] R.P.C. 299 CA; <i>Improver Corp. v Remington Products Inc</i> [1990] FSR 181.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-74"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-74">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a70.html">Article 70</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-SingerArt2Precedence-75"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-SingerArt2Precedence_75-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFSingerStauder2003a">Singer & Stauder 2003a</a>, under Article 2, section "EPC provisions on European patents that take precedence over national law"</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-76"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-76">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a2.html">Article 2(2)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-77"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-77">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://curia.europa.eu/jurisp/cgi-bin/form.pl?lang=EN&Submit=Rechercher$docrequire=alldocs&numaff=C-4/03&datefs=&datefe=&nomusuel=&domaine=&mots=&resmax=100">Case C-4/03, <i>Gesellschaft für Antriebstechnik v Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG</i>, (European Ct. of Justice 13 July 2006)</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20061017092457/http://curia.europa.eu/jurisp/cgi-bin/form.pl?lang=EN&Submit=Rechercher%24docrequire%3Dalldocs&numaff=C-4%2F03&datefs=&datefe=&nomusuel=&domaine=&mots=&resmax=100">Archived</a> 17 October 2006 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a>; <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://curia.europa.eu/jurisp/cgi-bin/form.pl?lang=EN&Submit=Rechercher$docrequire=alldocs&numaff=C-539/03&datefs=&datefe=&nomusuel=&domaine=&mots=&resmax=100">Case C-539/03, <i>Roche Nederland BV v Primus</i>, (European Ct. of Justice 13 July 2006)</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20061017092339/http://curia.europa.eu/jurisp/cgi-bin/form.pl?lang=EN&Submit=Rechercher%24docrequire%3Dalldocs&numaff=C-539%2F03&datefs=&datefe=&nomusuel=&domaine=&mots=&resmax=100">Archived</a> 17 October 2006 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-78"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-78">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a138.html">Article 138(1)(b)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-79"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-79">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a138.html">Article 138(1)(c)</a> EPC, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a123.html">Article 123(2)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-80"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-80">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a138.html">Article 138(1)(d)</a> EPC, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a123.html">Article 123(3)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-81"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-81">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a138.html">Article 138(1)(e)</a> EPC, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a60.html">Article 60</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-82"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-82">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><span class="languageicon">(in French)</span> Laurent Teyssedre, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://europeanpatentcaselaw.blogspot.com/2012/03/la-nullite-tiree-du-motif-de-lart-1381.html">"La nullité tirée du motif de l'Art 138(1) e) est relative"</a>, <i>Le blog du droit européen des brevets</i>, 5 March 2012. Accessed 10 March 2012.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-83"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-83">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a63.html">Article 63(1)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-85"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-85">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a63.html">Article 63(2)(b)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-86"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-86">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">See <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/texts/articles/a11.html">Article 11(3)</a> <a href="/wiki/Patent_Cooperation_Treaty" title="Patent Cooperation Treaty">PCT</a>, which provides a <a href="/wiki/Legal_fiction" title="Legal fiction">legal fiction</a> according to which an international application, i.e. a PCT application, has the effect of a regular European patent application as of the international filing date under certain conditions (see for instance <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/j090018ex1.html">Decision J 18/09 of the Legal Board of Appeal 3.1.01 of 1 September 2010</a>, Reasons 7 and 8); and <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a150.html">Article 150(2), (first sentence)</a> EPC: "International applications filed under the PCT may be the subject of proceedings before the European Patent Office."</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-87"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-87">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Guidelines_for_Examination_in_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office">Guidelines for Examination in the EPO</a>, section <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/guidelines/e/e_ix_2.htm"><span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">e</span>-<span class="allcaps" style="text-transform:uppercase;">ix</span>, 2</a> : "EPO as designated or elected Office".</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-88"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-88">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://new.epo.org/en/legal/epc/2020/a150.html">Article 150(2), (third sentence)</a> EPC</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-89"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-89">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.wipo.int/edocs/pctndocs/en/2007/pct_news_2007_4.pdf"><i>Latvia: Closing of the National Route via the PCT</i></a>, <a href="/wiki/PCT_Newsletter" title="PCT Newsletter">PCT Newsletter</a> of April 2007.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-90"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-90">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">"European Patent Office web site, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.epo.org/patents/law/legal-texts/InformationEPO/archiveinfo/02012007.html"><i>Accession to the PCT by Malta (MT)</i></a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070926220506/http://www.epo.org/patents/law/legal-texts/InformationEPO/archiveinfo/02012007.html">Archived</a> 26 September 2007 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a>, Information from the European Patent Office, 2 January 2007.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-91"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-91">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation journal cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20221025192110/https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/newslett/2022/article_0004.html">"The Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism (Montenegro): Ceasing of Receiving Office Functions and Closure of National Route"</a>. <i>PCT Newsletter</i> (10/2022). October 2022. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/newslett/2022/article_0004.html">the original</a> on 25 October 2022<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">25 October</span> 2022</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=PCT+Newsletter&rft.atitle=The+Ministry+of+Economic+Development+and+Tourism+%28Montenegro%29%3A+Ceasing+of+Receiving+Office+Functions+and+Closure+of+National+Route&rft.issue=10%2F2022&rft.date=2022-10&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wipo.int%2Fpct%2Fen%2Fnewslett%2F2022%2Farticle_0004.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-92"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-92">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation journal cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191220204759/https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/newslett/2019/article_0002.html">"The Patent and Trademark Office (San Marino): Ceasing of Receiving Office Functions and Closure of National Route"</a>. <i>PCT Newsletter</i>. <b>2019</b> (12). December 2019. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/newslett/2019/article_0002.html">the original</a> on 20 December 2019<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">20 December</span> 2019</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=PCT+Newsletter&rft.atitle=The+Patent+and+Trademark+Office+%28San+Marino%29%3A+Ceasing+of+Receiving+Office+Functions+and+Closure+of+National+Route&rft.volume=2019&rft.issue=12&rft.date=2019-12&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wipo.int%2Fpct%2Fen%2Fnewslett%2F2019%2Farticle_0002.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-93"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-93">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation journal cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20221025192110/https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/newslett/2022/article_0004.html">"The Ministry of Economic Development and Tourism (Montenegro): Ceasing of Receiving Office Functions and Closure of National Route"</a>. <i>PCT Newsletter</i> (10/2022). October 2022. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/newslett/2022/article_0004.html">the original</a> on 25 October 2022<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">25 October</span> 2022</span>. <q>The list of States which are party to the EPC and which have closed the national route now includes Belgium, Cyprus, France, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, San Marino and Slovenia.</q></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=PCT+Newsletter&rft.atitle=The+Ministry+of+Economic+Development+and+Tourism+%28Montenegro%29%3A+Ceasing+of+Receiving+Office+Functions+and+Closure+of+National+Route&rft.issue=10%2F2022&rft.date=2022-10&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wipo.int%2Fpct%2Fen%2Fnewslett%2F2022%2Farticle_0004.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Italy-national-route-94"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Italy-national-route_94-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation journal cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pctndocs/en/2020/pct_news_2020_5.pdf">"Italian Patent and Trademark Office: Opening of National Route"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>PCT Newsletter</i> (5/2020): 3. May 2020<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">22 May</span> 2020</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=PCT+Newsletter&rft.atitle=Italian+Patent+and+Trademark+Office%3A+Opening+of+National+Route&rft.issue=5%2F2020&rft.pages=3&rft.date=2020-05&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wipo.int%2Fedocs%2Fpctndocs%2Fen%2F2020%2Fpct_news_2020_5.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Further_reading">Further reading</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Further reading"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFM._van_Empel1975" class="citation book cs1">M. van Empel (14 November 1975). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=zbIwAQAAIAAJ"><i>The Granting of European Patents</i></a>. Springer Netherlands. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-286-0365-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-90-286-0365-3"><bdi>978-90-286-0365-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Granting+of+European+Patents&rft.pub=Springer+Netherlands&rft.date=1975-11-14&rft.isbn=978-90-286-0365-3&rft.au=M.+van+Empel&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DzbIwAQAAIAAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFGerald_Paterson1992" class="citation book cs1">Gerald Paterson (1992). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=EpnQxQEACAAJ"><i>The European Patent System: The Law and Practice of the European Patent Convention</i></a>. Sweet and Maxwell.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+European+Patent+System%3A+The+Law+and+Practice+of+the+European+Patent+Convention&rft.pub=Sweet+and+Maxwell&rft.date=1992&rft.au=Gerald+Paterson&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DEpnQxQEACAAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSingerStauder2003a" class="citation book cs1">Singer, Margarete; Stauder, Dieter (2003a). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=r8ttmQEACAAJ"><i>The European Patent Convention: A Commentary. Substantive Patent Law – Preamble, Articles 1 to 89</i></a>. Thomson/Sweet & Maxwell. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-421-83150-6" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-421-83150-6"><bdi>978-0-421-83150-6</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+European+Patent+Convention%3A+A+Commentary.+Substantive+Patent+Law+%E2%80%93+Preamble%2C+Articles+1+to+89&rft.pub=Thomson%2FSweet+%26+Maxwell&rft.date=2003&rft.isbn=978-0-421-83150-6&rft.aulast=Singer&rft.aufirst=Margarete&rft.au=Stauder%2C+Dieter&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3Dr8ttmQEACAAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSingerStauder2003b" class="citation book cs1">Singer, Margarete; Stauder, Dieter (2003b). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=30aPswEACAAJ"><i>The European Patent Convention: A Commentary. Procedural patent law - article 90 to article 178. Volume 2</i></a>. Sweet & Maxwell. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-421-83170-4" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-421-83170-4"><bdi>978-0-421-83170-4</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+European+Patent+Convention%3A+A+Commentary.+Procedural+patent+law+-+article+90+to+article+178.+Volume+2&rft.pub=Sweet+%26+Maxwell&rft.date=2003&rft.isbn=978-0-421-83170-4&rft.aulast=Singer&rft.aufirst=Margarete&rft.au=Stauder%2C+Dieter&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D30aPswEACAAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFVeroneseWatchorn2008" class="citation book cs1">Veronese, Andrea; Watchorn, Peter (2008). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=OqSaYgEACAAJ"><i>Procedural Law Under the EPC-2000: A Practical Guide for Patent Professionals and Candidates for the European Qualifying Examination</i></a>. Kastner. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-937082-90-5" title="Special:BookSources/978-3-937082-90-5"><bdi>978-3-937082-90-5</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Procedural+Law+Under+the+EPC-2000%3A+A+Practical+Guide+for+Patent+Professionals+and+Candidates+for+the+European+Qualifying+Examination&rft.pub=Kastner&rft.date=2008&rft.isbn=978-3-937082-90-5&rft.aulast=Veronese&rft.aufirst=Andrea&rft.au=Watchorn%2C+Peter&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DOqSaYgEACAAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMarcus_O._MüllerCees_A.M._Mulder2015" class="citation book cs1">Marcus O. Müller; Cees A.M. Mulder (27 February 2015). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=WgGMBgAAQBAJ"><i>Proceedings Before the European Patent Office: A Practical Guide to Success in Opposition and Appeal</i></a>. Edward Elgar Publishing. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-78471-010-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-78471-010-1"><bdi>978-1-78471-010-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Proceedings+Before+the+European+Patent+Office%3A+A+Practical+Guide+to+Success+in+Opposition+and+Appeal&rft.pub=Edward+Elgar+Publishing&rft.date=2015-02-27&rft.isbn=978-1-78471-010-1&rft.au=Marcus+O.+M%C3%BCller&rft.au=Cees+A.M.+Mulder&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DWgGMBgAAQBAJ&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBenkard2022" class="citation book cs1 cs1-prop-foreign-lang-source">Benkard (2022). Beckedorf, Ingo; Ehlers, Jochen (eds.). <i>Europäisches Patentübereinkommen</i> (in German) (4. Auflage ed.). München: C.H.BECK. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-406-76195-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-3-406-76195-9"><bdi>978-3-406-76195-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Europ%C3%A4isches+Patent%C3%BCbereinkommen&rft.place=M%C3%BCnchen&rft.edition=4.+Auflage&rft.pub=C.H.BECK.&rft.date=2022&rft.isbn=978-3-406-76195-9&rft.au=Benkard&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1"><i>Visser's Annotated European Patent Convention</i> (2022 ed.). Alphen aan den Rijn: Kluwer Law International. 2022. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9789403545011" title="Special:BookSources/9789403545011"><bdi>9789403545011</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Visser%27s+Annotated+European+Patent+Convention&rft.place=Alphen+aan+den+Rijn&rft.edition=2022&rft.pub=Kluwer+Law+International&rft.date=2022&rft.isbn=9789403545011&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AEuropean+Patent+Convention" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=European_Patent_Convention&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/epc.html">The European Patent Convention</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts.html">Legal texts from the European Patent Office (EPO)</a>, including the text of the European Patent Convention.</li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="European_Patent_Organisation183" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:European_Patent_Organisation" title="Template:European Patent Organisation"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:European_Patent_Organisation" title="Template talk:European Patent Organisation"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:European_Patent_Organisation" title="Special:EditPage/Template:European Patent Organisation"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="European_Patent_Organisation183" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Organisation" title="European Patent Organisation">European Patent Organisation</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Founding texts</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">European Patent Convention (EPC)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/EPC_2000" title="EPC 2000">Revised version (EPC 2000)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Organs</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Office" title="European Patent Office">European Patent Office (EPO)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Administrative_Council_of_the_European_Patent_Organisation" title="Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation">Administrative Council</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Procedure</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Grant_procedure_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Grant procedure before the European Patent Office">Grant procedure</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Opposition_procedure_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Opposition procedure before the European Patent Office">Opposition</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limitation_and_revocation_procedures_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Limitation and revocation procedures before the European Patent Office">Limitation and revocation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Appeal_procedure_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Appeal procedure before the European Patent Office">Appeal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Petition_for_review_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Petition for review under the European Patent Convention">Petition for review</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Enforcement_of_European_patents" title="Enforcement of European patents">Enforcement</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Case law</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Case_Law_of_the_Boards_of_Appeal_of_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Case Law of the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office">Case Law book</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_decisions_and_opinions_of_the_Enlarged_Board_of_Appeal_of_the_European_Patent_Office" title="List of decisions and opinions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office">Decisions and opinions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_decisions_of_the_EPO_Boards_of_Appeal_relating_to_Article_52(2)_and_(3)_EPC" title="List of decisions of the EPO Boards of Appeal relating to Article 52(2) and (3) EPC">Decisions of the Boards of Appeal relating to Article 52(2) and (3) EPC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_successful_petitions_for_review_under_Article_112a_of_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="List of successful petitions for review under Article 112a of the European Patent Convention">Successful petitions for review under Article 112a EPC</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related topics</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Divisional_applications_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Divisional applications under the European Patent Convention">Divisional applications</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Epoline" title="Epoline">epoline</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Espacenet" title="Espacenet">Espacenet</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Bulletin" title="European Patent Bulletin">European Patent Bulletin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Institute" title="European Patent Institute">European Patent Institute (epi)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Register" title="European Patent Register">European Patent Register</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Round_Table_on_Patent_Practice" title="European Round Table on Patent Practice">European Round Table on Patent Practice (EUROTAB)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fees_in_proceedings_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Fees in proceedings before the European Patent Office">Fees</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Guidelines_for_Examination_in_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office">Guidelines</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Patent_Judges%27_Symposium" title="European Patent Judges' Symposium">Judges' Symposium</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/London_Agreement_(2000)" title="London Agreement (2000)">London Agreement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Observations_by_third_parties_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Observations by third parties under the European Patent Convention">Observations by third parties</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Official_Journal_of_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Official Journal of the European Patent Office"><i>Official Journal</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reformatio_in_peius#Prohibition_of_reformatio_in_peius_at_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Reformatio in peius">Prohibition of <i>reformatio in peius</i></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Representation_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Representation before the European Patent Office">Representation</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/Restitutio_in_integrum_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Restitutio in integrum under the European Patent Convention">Restitutio in integrum</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Standing_Advisory_Committee_before_the_European_Patent_Office" title="Standing Advisory Committee before the European Patent Office">Standing Advisory Committee (SACEPO)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Software_patents_under_the_European_Patent_Convention" title="Software patents under the European Patent Convention">Software patents</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unified_Patent_Court" title="Unified Patent Court">Unified Patent Court (UPC)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unitary_patent" title="Unitary patent">Unitary patent (EU)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unitary_patent_(Switzerland_and_Liechtenstein)" title="Unitary patent (Switzerland and Liechtenstein)">Unitary patent (Switzerland and Liechtenstein)</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">EPC contracting<br />states</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Albania" title="Albania">Albania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Austria" title="Austria">Austria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Belgium" title="Belgium">Belgium</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bulgaria" title="Bulgaria">Bulgaria</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Croatia" title="Croatia">Croatia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cyprus" title="Cyprus">Cyprus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Czech_Republic" title="Czech Republic">Czech Republic</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Denmark" title="Denmark">Denmark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Estonia" title="Estonia">Estonia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Finland" title="Finland">Finland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/France" title="France">France</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Germany" title="Germany">Germany</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Greece" title="Greece">Greece</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hungary" title="Hungary">Hungary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Iceland" title="Iceland">Iceland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland" title="Republic of Ireland">Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Italy" title="Italy">Italy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Latvia" title="Latvia">Latvia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liechtenstein" title="Liechtenstein">Liechtenstein</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lithuania" title="Lithuania">Lithuania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Luxembourg" title="Luxembourg">Luxembourg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Malta" title="Malta">Malta</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Monaco" title="Monaco">Monaco</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Montenegro" title="Montenegro">Montenegro</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Netherlands" title="Netherlands">Netherlands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/North_Macedonia" title="North Macedonia">North Macedonia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Norway" title="Norway">Norway</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Poland" title="Poland">Poland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Portugal" title="Portugal">Portugal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Romania" title="Romania">Romania</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/San_Marino" title="San Marino">San Marino</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Serbia" title="Serbia">Serbia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Slovakia" title="Slovakia">Slovakia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Slovenia" title="Slovenia">Slovenia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spain" title="Spain">Spain</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sweden" title="Sweden">Sweden</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Switzerland" title="Switzerland">Switzerland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turkey" title="Turkey">Turkey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Extension <small>(E)</small> and<br /> validation <small>(V)</small> states</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bosnia_and_Herzegovina" title="Bosnia and Herzegovina">Bosnia and Herzegovina</a> <small>(E)</small></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cambodia" title="Cambodia">Cambodia</a> <small>(V)</small></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Georgia_(country)" title="Georgia (country)">Georgia</a> <small>(V)</small></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Moldova" title="Moldova">Moldova</a> <small>(V)</small></li> <li><a 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