https://www.epo.org/en/node/updates

Updates

1 June 2023 – Expanded service for Mailbox

As of 1st June 2023, users of the Mailbox will be able to receive a wider range of EPO documents electronically.

The extended service will also cover 56 documents used in proceedings relating to European patents with unitary effect (see Notice from the European Patent Office dated 24 April 2023 concerning the expansion of electronic notification via the Mailbox to documents in proceedings related to European patents with unitary effect, Supplementary publication 3, OJ EPO 2023, pages 7-8).

List of the communications being added with effect from 1st June 2023 (XLSX, 17.1 KB)

Full list of communications which will be notified electronically via the Mailbox from 1st June 2023 (XLSX, 74.8 KB)

List of communications which are not notified electronically via the Mailbox from 1st June 2023 (XLSX, 13.1 KB)

1 April 2022 – Certificate for a European patent

The certificate for a European patent is communicated electronically to the Mailbox where the mention of the grant is published in the European Patent Bulletin from 1 April 2022. If the proprietor (or their representative) has not activated their Mailbox, the certificate will be issued on paper and delivered by postal services.

List of the communications being added with effect from 1 April 2022 (XLSX, 18 KB)

Full list of communications which will be notified electronically via the Mailbox from 1 April 2022 (XLSX, 74 KB)

List of communications which are not notified electronically via the Mailbox from 1 April 2022 (XLSX, 17 KB)

1 June 2021 - Expanded service for Mailbox

As of 1 June 2021, users of the Mailbox will be able to receive a wider range of EPO documents electronically.

The extended service will also cover 61 documents relating to appeal proceedings before the Technical Boards of Appeal and the Legal Board of Appeal (see Notice of the President of the Boards of Appeal dated 13 April 2021 concerning the extension of electronic notification via the EPO Mailbox to appeal proceedings, OJ EPO 2021, A37).   

In order to support notification of summons to oral proceedings, decisions and other communications triggering a time limit, Form 3936 is technically required. If these documents are notified electronically, Form 3936 does not have to be completed and returned.

List of the communications being added with effect from 1 June 2021 (XLSX, 17 KB)

Full list of communications which will be notified electronically via the Mailbox from 1 June 2021 (XLSX, 70 KB)

List of communications which are not notified electronically via the Mailbox (XLSX, 13 KB)

April 2021 - Expanded service for Mailbox

As of 1 February 2021, the EPO has extended the group of users that may request registration for notification via the Mailbox to legal practitioners qualified in a contracting state and having their place of business in that state, to the extent that they are entitled in that State to act as a professional representative in patent matters, and to applicants having their residence or principal place of business in an EPC Contracting State, irrespective of whether they are acting under the PCT or the EPC (see OJ EPO 2021, A5).

As of 1 April 2021, users of the Mailbox are able to receive a wider range of EPO communications electronically.

The extended service will cover 24 further communications throughout procedures.  

In order to support the electronic notification of a decision or a summons to oral proceedings, EPO Forms 2936O and 2042O are on the list of communications which can be received via the electronic mailbox since 1 December 2020. EPO Form 2936O is technically required for correct distribution of decisions and summonses, and it does not have to be completed and returned. EPO Form 2042O serves as a cover sheet for the minutes of oral proceedings.

List of the communications being added with effect from 1 April 2021 (XLSX, 13 KB)

Full list of communications which will be notified electronically via the Mailbox from 1 April 2021(XLSX, 65 KB)

1 February 2021 - Expanded service for Mailbox

As of 1 February 2021, the EPO is extending the group of users that may request registration for notification via the Mailbox to legal practitioners qualified in a contracting state and having their place of business in that state, to the extent that they are entitled in that State to act as a professional representative in patent matters, and to applicants having their residence or principal place of business in an EPC Contracting State, irrespective of whether they are acting under the PCT or the EPC (see OJ EPO 2021, A5).

As of 1 April 2021, users of the Mailbox will be able to receive an even wider range of EPO communications electronically.

The extended service will also cover 24 further communications throughout procedures.

In order to support the electronic notification of a decision or a summons to oral proceedings, EPO Forms 2936O and 2042O have additionally been added to the list of communications which can be received via the electronic mailbox. EPO Form 2936O is technically required for correct distribution of decisions and summonses, and it does not have to be completed and returned. EPO Form 2042O serves as a cover sheet for the minutes of oral proceedings.

List of the communications being added with effect from 1 December 2020 (XLSX, 13 KB)

Full list of communications which will be notified electronically via the Mailbox from 1 December 2020 (XLSX, 65 KB)

22 October 2019 - Expanded coverage of Mailbox service

As of 1 November 2019, users of the Mailbox will be able to receive an even wider range of EPO communications electronically.

The extended service will also cover the summons to oral proceedings in examination and further communications in both the examination and opposition procedures.

See the list of communications that can be received via the Mailbox as of 1 November 2019 (PDF, 80 KB) - additions are highlighted in yellow

11 July 2019 - The list of communications that can be received electronically via the Mailbox has been updated

The list of communications that can be received electronically via the Mailbox has been updated.

View the latest list (PDF, 119 KB)

For technical reasons, the electronic notification service has been temporarily suspended for some of the forms added as of 3 June 2019.

View the list of affected forms (18 KB)

8 April 2019 - Expanded coverage of Mailbox service

As of 3 June 2019, users of the Mailbox will be able to receive a wider range of EPO communications electronically.

As of 3 June 2019, the service will cover:

  • 92% of communications related to search and examination procedures
  • 89% of communications related to PCT procedures
  • 100% of communications related to limitation and revocation procedures
  • 37% of communications related to opposition procedures

View the list of the communications that can be received via the Mailbox as of 3 June 2019 (PDF, 160 KB)