The European Patent Convention

The 13th edition (2007) contains the texts, as applicable from 13 December 2007, of the Convention on the Grant of European Patents and its Implementing Regulations, the Protocol on the interpretation of Article 69 EPC, the Protocol on Centralisation, the Protocol on Recognition, the Protocol on Privileges and Immunities, the Protocol on the Staff Complement and the Rules relating to Fees, together with an extract from the Revision Act of 29 November 2000 and the decision of the Administrative Council of 28 June 2001 on the transitional provisions under Article 7 of the Revision Act.

To consult the most up-to-date version of the European Patent Convention (EPC), please use the HTML files. The PDF files reflect the latest printed edition of the EPC (currently the 13th edition published 2007), i.e. without amendments adopted by the Administrative Council since the printed edition was published. 

For up-to-date information on procedural fees please also consult the Official Journal.

While the HTML version contains internal links between the articles and rules of the EPC and is optimised for online use, the PDF version offers the best solution for off-line browsing including full-text search functionality. 

Important note: The authentic text of the EPC is that of the printed version of the EPC published by the EPO and, where appropriate, the text of the amendments as published in the printed version of the EPO's Official Journal.

Under the transitional provisions to the EPC as revised by the Act revising the EPC dated 29.11.2000, as a rule the revised provisions apply. However, there are exceptions to this rule in which the provisions of the EPC 1973 continue to apply.

Archive: EPC 1973