1.7 1.6Signed authorisation

Representatives acting before the EPO must, on request, file a signed authorisation (see A‑VIII, 3.2) within a two-month period specified by the EPO (see E‑VIII, 1.6). Both individual and general authorisations (see A‑VIII, 1.7A‑VIII, 1.8) within the meaning of Rule 152(4) serve the same purpose. FIn the case ofor general authorisations for employees, the indication of the registration number is equivalent to the filing of the authorisation itself. The filing of an authorisation is distinct from the appointment of a representative for a specific case. If the requirements of Art. 133(2) are not fulfilled, the same period will be specified for the communication of the appointment and, where applicable, for the filing of the authorisation.

Professional representatives and legal practitioners entitled to act in accordance with Art. 134(8) will be required to file a signed authorisation only in certain circumstances, in particular if there is a change of representative without the EPO being notified by the previous representative that their authorisation has terminated (see Art. 1(2) of the decision of the President of the EPO dated 8 July 20247 July 2025 on the filing and signing of authorisations, OJ EPO 2024, A75OJ EPO 2025, A45, and the notice from the EPO dated 8 July 2024, OJ EPO 2024, A77). No authorisation is required where a professional representative or legal practitioner other than the appointed one (and not being a member of the same association or law firm, as the case may be) performs a procedural act on behalf of a party to proceedings, e.g. filing a reply to the communication under Rule 71(3), provided that it is apparent from the submission that they are acting at the request of that party without the intention to take over representation. If there is any doubt as to the entitlement of a professional representative or legal practitioner to act on behalf of a party, the EPO may require the filing of an authorisation (see Art. 1(3) of the above decision).

However, an employee acting for an applicant in accordance with Art. 133(3), first sentence, but who is not a professional representative or legal practitioner, must always file a signed individual or general authorisation or cite the registration number of a registered general authorisation (see Art. 2 of the above decision) to be in a position to validly perform procedural acts. In Euro-PCT proceedings, persons representing applicants in this capacity are not required to file signed authorisations if they have already filed an authorisation expressly covering proceedings established by the EPC with the EPO as receiving Office, ISA or IPEA (see A‑XII, 6.2.2).

Where a representative is appointed to act on behalf of the applicant in several of that party's applications, it is not necessary to file an individual authorisation for each application (see A‑VIII, 2.4). A clear indication of the applications concerned is sufficient; the EPO will make sure that a copy of the authorisation is included in all of the files concerned.

The authorisation can also be filed by the applicant. This also applies where the applicant is obliged to be represented, as fulfilling the requirement to be represented is not itself a procedural step under Art. 133(2) to which the rule of obligatory representation applies.

An association of representatives (see A‑VIII, 1.4) can be authorised to represent a party before the EPO within the meaning of Art. 134(1) (Rule 152(11)). A party appointing several representatives can authorise them collectively as an association instead of having to do so individually, provided that the association in question is registered with the EPO (OJ EPO 2013, 535OJ EPO 2025, A48). Where invited to file an authorisation by way of an exception, a reference to that the association's registration representative number in the authorisation will suffice.

An authorisation remains in force until its termination is communicated to the EPO. Transfer of representation or termination of authorisation can, subject to certain conditions, be effected electronically by the representative using MyEPO Portfolio (see the decision of the President of the EPO dated 9 February 2024, OJ EPO 2024, A20, and the notice from the EPO dated 9 February 2024, OJ EPO 2024, A21). The authorisation will not terminate upon the death of the person who gave it unless the authorisation provides to the contrary (Rule 152(9)).

Authorisations may bear handwritten, facsimile or text-string signatures (see A‑VIII, 3.3), or digital signatures under the conditions specified by the EPO (see the decision of the President of the EPO dated 8 July 20247 July 2025, OJ EPO 2024, A75OJ EPO 2025, A45, and the notice from the EPO dated 8 July 2024, OJ EPO 2024, A77). Where a digital signature is used, the authorisation must be filed electronically (see A‑II, 1.1.1 and A‑VIII, 2.5).