4. Filing fee and additional fee

Under Rule 159(1)(c), applicants must pay the filing fee, including any additional fee for pages in excess of 35, within the 31-month period. This implements the right of the EPO as a designated/elected Office to require payment of a "national fee" under Art. 22(1) PCT and Art. 39(1) PCT. This fee is therefore a "filing fee" only in terms of the amount; since it is in fact paid as a "national fee", it is not reduced under the language arrangements (A‑X, 9.3.2).

Pages of amendments filed after the additional fee's payment date (as a rule within the 31-month time limit) and, in particular, during the six-month period under Rules 161(1) and 161(2), are not taken into account (A‑XIV, 2.1). Consequently, if amendments filed at this stage reduce the number of pages already paid for, no refund will be made.

The basic filing fee is lower where EPO Form 1200 is filed online (Art. 2(1), item 1, RFees).

For general guidance on the payment of fees, see A‑X.