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Guide for applicants, Part 2: PCT procedure before the EPO (Euro-PCT Guide)

 
 
Table of Contents - Guide for applicants, Part 2: PCT procedure before the EPO (Euro-PCT Guide)
B. The EPO as a PCT receiving Office
Fees
Reductions
Reductions
178
The international filing fee is reduced by 90% if the requirements stipulated in point 5 of the PCT Schedule of Fees are met. If there are several applicants, each of them must satisfy the requirements for the reduction to apply. 
Point 5 PCT Schedule of Fees 
Art. 8 RFees
WIPO PCT Guide 5.188 
179
In respect of applicants entitled to file an international application with the EPO as receiving Office (see point 42) the reduction applies if the applicant is a natural person who is a national of and resides in one of the following states: Albania (AL), Bulgaria (BG), Croatia (HR), Czech Republic (CZ), Estonia (EE), Hungary (HU), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT), former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MK), Poland (PL), Romania (RO), Serbia (RS), Slovakia (SK), Turkey (TR). On 1 October 2012 these EPC/PCT contracting states fell within the criteria of point 5(a) of the PCT Schedule of Fees. 
180
If the application is filed by more than one applicant, only one must be a national and resident of one of the EPC/PCT contracting states listed above, but each applicant must fulfil the criteria mentioned under point 5 of the PCT Schedule of Fees.  
181
A list of states whose nationals/residents may satisfy the requirements for a reduction to apply is published in the PCT Newsletter.  
182
If the EPO acts as receiving Office a reduction in the international filing fee may be obtained if the application is filed in electronic form (see point 82). The level of the reduction depends on the format in which the application is filed (PDF or XML format).
WIPO PCT Guide 5.189 
183
The EPO as receiving Office does not accept international applications filed in PCT-EASY format. If an application is filed in that format the EPO will process it as an application filed on paper and, consequently, no reduction applies (see point 90).
184
The PCT request form contains a Fee Calculation Sheet which applicants are asked to use for calculating fees (Annex VII).