https://www.epo.org/en/law-practice/consultation/ongoing

Ongoing consultations

Public online user consultation on the Guidelines

Date of consultation

3.2.2025 - 7.4.2025

Background information

The Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office ("EPC Guidelines") and the Guidelines for Search and Examination at the European Patent Office as PCT Authority ("PCT-EPO Guidelines") give instructions on the practice and procedures to be followed in the examination of European and international applications and patents in accordance with the EPC and the PCT. The Unitary Patent Guidelines ("UP Guidelines"), published this year for the first time, outline the practice and procedures involved in obtaining, maintaining and managing Unitary Patents on the basis of the EPC.

The Guidelines are revised every year to bring them into line with current legal and procedural developments.

Each spring, we invite patent system users to share their views on the latest editions of the now three sets of Guidelines in a public online consultation.

This year's consultation is now open and we encourage you to submit your comments in any of the EPO's three official languages, using our online feedback form.

Please submit your comments by 7 April 2025, using a separate field for each part of the Guidelines you wish to comment on.

Your anonymised suggestions on the EPC, PCT-EPO and UP Guidelines will be forwarded to the SACEPO Working Party on Guidelines and discussed at its 29th meeting, scheduled to be held on 8 May 2025.

By participating in our online consultation, you are helping us to continuously improve our Guidelines.

We deeply value your comments and feedback.

Preview of the English version of the amended EPC Guidelines due to enter into force on 1 April 2025

Preview of the English version of the amended PCT Guidelines due to enter into force on 1 April 2025

Preview of the English version of the UP Guidelines due to enter into force on 1 April 2025

Data protection and privacy notice

Data protection statement on the processing of personal data related to online user consultations