The official languages of the EPO are English, French and German (Rule 20(1) UPR in conjunction with Art. 14(1) EPC). which applies mutatis mutandis pursuant to Rule 20(1) UPR). The term "language of the proceedings" is defined in Art. 14(3) EPC. Both provisions apply pursuant to Rule 20(1) UPR in Unitary Patent proceedings. However, wWhile parties may use any of the EPO's official languages in written proceedings before the EPO (Rule 20(2)(a) UPR in conjunction with Rule 3(1), first sentence, EPC), the request for unitary effect itself must be filed in the language of the proceedings (Art. 9(1)(g) Regulation (EU) No 1257/2012 andRule 6(2) UPR). In the context of Unitary Patent proceedings, the "language of the proceedings" refers to the official language chosen (English, French or German) for patent prosecution at the EPO (Rule 20(1) UPR in conjunction with Art. 14(3) EPC).
The EPC provisions that allow documents to be filed in an admissible non-EPO language do not apply in Unitary Patent proceedings (Art. 14(4) EPC; Rule 3(1), second sentence, EPC; Rule 6(2) EPC; see EPC Guidelines, A‑VII, 3.2). Therefore, a Unitary Patent proprietor may not, for example, file a request for re‑establishment of rights pursuant to Rule 22 UPR in an admissible non-EPO language and then file its translation within a month.