2.2 How must an international application be filed with the EPO as receiving Office?
2.2.11.How can I get electronic communications from the EPO in the international phase?
2.2.033Applicants interested in receiving electronic notifications of communications from the EPO during the international phase currently have the following options:
–EPO Mailbox service
The Mailbox service allows registered users to receive communications from the EPO electronically and so access them immediately and securely. The current version of the Mailbox only allows one-way communication from the EPO to the user, who therefore cannot use it to reply to communications. Applicants choosing to get electronic notifications via the Mailbox will no longer receive paper notifications. It is currently available to European representatives acting under the PCT (registered European professional representatives and legal practitioners, including where they are specifically appointed for the procedure before the EPO as (S)ISA and/or IPEA; see points 3.1.020 ff, point 3.4.016 ff and point 4.1.047 ff) and applicants who have their residence or place of business in an EPC contracting state.24
–WIPO's ePCT system
Any interested applicant or agent can open an ePCT account and link their international applications to it. ePCT offers immediate online access to any document issued by the offices involved in the PCT procedure. Users can activate an automatic email notification service for newly added documents, although notifications issued via ePCT are at present a courtesy service and do not replace paper notifications. ePCT can also be used to submit documents to participating receiving Offices (including the EPO), participating Authorities (including the EPO as ISA and IPEA) and the IB.25
24Detailed information on the Mailbox service is available at epo.org/applying/online-services/mailbox.html.