Status of accession and ratification
The London Agreement entered into force on 1 May 2008, following the deposit of the instruments of ratification and accession by 13 EPC contracting states – including the 3 where the most European patents took effect in 1999, that is, France, Germany and the United Kingdom (see Article 6(1) of the Agreement).
Under Article 6, paragraph 2, of the Agreement any accession by a state after 1 May 2008 shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month after the deposit of the instrument of accession.
| EPC Contracting State |
Signature
|
Instrument of
|
Deposited on
|
Entry into force
|
| Austria |
|
|
|
|
| Belgium |
|
|
|
|
| Bulgaria |
|
|
|
|
| Croatia |
------ |
accession |
31.10.2007
|
1.5.2008
|
| Cyprus |
|
|
|
|
Czech Republic
|
|
|
|
|
| Denmark |
17.10.2000
|
ratification
|
18.1.2008
|
1.5.2008
|
| Estonia |
|
|
|
|
| Finland |
|
|
|
|
| France |
29.6.2001 |
ratification |
29.1.2008
|
1.5.2008
|
| Germany |
17.10.2000 |
ratification |
19.2.2004 |
1.5.2008
|
Greece
|
|
|
|
|
| Hungary |
|
|
|
|
| Iceland |
------
|
accession |
31.8.2004 |
1.5.2008
|
| Ireland |
|
|
|
|
| Italy |
|
|
|
|
| Latvia |
------
|
accession |
5.4.2005 |
1.5.2008
|
| Liechtenstein |
17.10.2000 |
ratification |
23.11.2006 |
1.5.2008
|
| Lithuania |
------ |
accession
|
22.1.2009
|
1.5.2009 |
| Luxembourg |
20.3.2001 |
ratification |
18.9.2007
|
1.5.2008
|
Malta
|
|
|
|
|
| Monaco |
17.10.2000 |
ratification |
12.11.2003 |
1.5.2008
|
| Netherlands |
17.10.2000 |
ratification |
5.10.2006 |
1.5.2008
|
Norway
|
|
|
|
|
| Poland |
|
|
|
|
| Portugal |
|
|
|
|
| Romania |
|
|
|
|
San Marino
|
|
|
|
|
| Slovak Republic |
|
|
|
|
| Slovenia |
------
|
accession |
18.9.2002 |
1.5.2008
|
| Spain |
|
|
|
|
| Sweden |
17.10.2000 |
ratification
|
29.4.2008
|
1.5.2008
|
| Switzerland |
17.10.2000 |
ratification |
12.6.2006 |
1.5.2008
|
| Turkey |
|
|
|
|
| United Kingdom |
17.10.2000 |
ratification |
15.8.2005 |
1.5.2008
|
