11.2.1 Designation fee; time limits 

A designation fee is payable for designating contracting states.

For applications filed on or after 1 April 2009 this is a flat fee covering all EPC contracting states. Therefore, for these applications, the system of charging designation fees for individual designated states (see A‑III, 11.3) no longer applies. For European divisional applications, see also A‑IV, 1.3.4 and A-IV, 1.4.1.

For European patent applications, the designation fee must be paid within six months of the date on which the European Patent Bulletin mentions the publication of the European search report.

For divisional applications and new applications under Art. 61(1)(b), the designation fee must be paid within six months of the date on which the European Patent Bulletin mentions the publication of the European search report drawn up in respect of the European divisional application or the new European patent application (see A‑IV, 1.4.1).

For Euro-PCT applications entering the European phase on or after 1 April 2009, see A‑III, 11.2.5.

The designation fee is reduced by 30% if the applicant is eligible for a fee reduction under the fee reduction scheme for micro-entities (see A‑X, 9.4).