Online Filing 2.0 pilot project for DOCX filing

The Online Filing 2.0 pilot project has been running since 4 May 2020. As of the launch of the EPO's filing service Online Filing 2.0 on 1 April 2021, the pilot project will continue with a limited scope (Article 5 of the decision of the Vice-President Legal and International Affairs of the European Patent Office (Directorate-General 5) dated 21 April 2020 concerning the conditions for participating in the pilot project for Online Filing 2.0 (OJ EPO 2020, A44)).

As of this date, only the request for grant (EPO Form 1001) can be filed, together with the description, claims, abstract and drawings (application documents) of a European patent application and, if required, translations of any of these documents, in DOCX format.

A back-up copy in PDF format of any application documents filed in DOCX format can be filed, provided the application documents in PDF and DOCX format are filed in a single submission. A PDF back up copy serves as evidence of what was intended to be filed.

As to the conditions for participating in and filing under the Online Filing 2.0 pilot project, reference is made to the decision of the Vice-President Legal and International Affairs of the European Patent Office (Directorate-General 5) dated 21 April 2020 concerning the conditions for participating in the pilot project for Online Filing 2.0.

If you are interested in participating in pilot trials, please volunteer here.