2. European qualifying examination

The EQE is designed to establish whether a candidate is qualified to practise as a professional representative before the EPO (Art. 1(1) REE). In principle, only persons who have passed the EQE may be entered on the list of professional representatives (Art. 134(2)(c) EPC; see also Art. 134(3) EPC). The EQE is held online, with the same papers being made available to candidates simultaneously (Art. 20 REE).

On 14 December 2023 the Administrative Council of the EPO unanimously approved amendments to the REE then in force for the purposes of launching a new EQE in 2025 (OJ 2024, A4). Unless otherwise provided in Art. 27(2) REE (see below), the 2025 version replaced the REE in force from 1 January 2009, OJ 2009, 9 (“REE 2009”). The IPREE (OJ 2024, A25) entered into force on 1 January 2025 and, unless otherwise provided in R 29(2) IPREE, replaced the IPREE as adopted on 13 December 2018 (“IPREE 2018”, Supplementary publication 2, OJ 2019, 18).

Changes included the gradual introduction of five new modules (F, M1, M2, M3 and M4) between 2025 and 2027 (Art. 1(5) and 27(2) REE), changes to the conditions for registration and enrolment, in particular to the periods of professional activity required before taking the examination (Art. 11 REE) and removal of the compensable fail. The REE includes transitional provisions (Art. 25 REE). Unless otherwise stated, references to the REE and IPREE in this chapter are to the 2025 version.

This chapter V.C.2. includes summaries of or references to decisions which were issued in writing in the period up to the end of 2024. It follows that versions of the REE and IPREE earlier than 1 January 2025 apply to these decisions. Moreover, Art. 27(2) REE provides that the REE 2009 and IPREE 2018 will continue to govern specific EQE papers until the end of 2026. From 2027, all EQE papers will be sat in accordance with the REE and IPREE.