European Patent Convention
  1. Home
  2. Legal texts
  3. European Patent Convention
  4. Contents
  5. European Patent Convention
  6. Part XII
  7. Article 169
Print
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email

Part XII – Final provisions

Overview

Article 169196
Entry into force

(1) This Convention shall enter into force three months after the deposit of the last instrument of ratification or accession by six States on whose territory the total number of patent applications filed in 1970 amounted to at least 180 000 for all the said States. 

(2) Any ratification or accession after the entry into force of this Convention shall take effect on the first day of the third month after the deposit of the instrument of ratification or accession. 


196For Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom: 7 October 1977; Sweden: 1 May 1978; Italy: 1 December 1978; Austria: 1 May 1979; Liechtenstein: 1 April 1980; Greece and Spain: 1 October 1986; Denmark: 1 January 1990; Monaco: 1 December 1991; Portugal: 1 January 1992; Ireland: 1 August 1992; Finland: 1 March 1996; Cyprus: 1 April 1998; Turkey: 1 November 2000; Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Slovakia: 1 July 2002; Slovenia: 1 December 2002; Hungary: 1 January 2003; Romania: 1 March 2003; Poland: 1 March 2004; Iceland: 1 November 2004; Lithuania: 1 December 2004; Latvia: 1 July 2005; Malta: 1 March 2007; Croatia and Norway: 1 January 2008; North Macedonia: 1 January 2009; San Marino: 1 July 2009; Albania: 1 May 2010; Serbia: 1 October 2010; Montenegro: 1 October 2022.

Previous
Next
EPC - Reference
  • Art. 178
Footer - Service & support
  • Service & support
    • Website updates
    • Availability of online services
    • FAQ
    • Publications
    • Procedural communications
    • Contact us
    • Subscription centre
    • Official holidays
    • Glossary
Footer - More links
  • Jobs & careers
  • Press centre
  • Single Access Portal
  • Procurement
  • Boards of Appeal
Facebook
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
Instagram
EuropeanPatentOffice
Linkedin
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
EPO Procurement
X (formerly Twitter)
EPOorg
EPOjobs
Youtube
TheEPO
Footer
  • Legal notice
  • Terms of use
  • Data protection and privacy
  • Accessibility