National law relating to the EPC
23rd edition / June 2024
"National law relating to the EPC" provides a concise guide to the most important provisions and requirements of the relevant national law in EPC contracting, extension and validation states.
It is essentially a guide to the law and practice of the EPC contracting, extension and validation states on European patent applications and patents. The synopses given in its tables have been prepared in close co‑operation with the authorities of the respective states.
Available formats
"National law relating to the EPC" is published in English, French and German and is available in electronic format only. The European Patent Office (EPO) is modernising its legal text publication process to implement a more advanced and unified information and reference system. As part of this modernization effort, the new 23rd edition of the "National Law Relating to the EPC" will be available exclusively in HTML format.
HTML version
This version is regularly updated and optimised for online use.
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Disclaimer
The tables have been drawn up with great care, but their completeness and accuracy cannot be guaranteed. They are very concise, focusing on the essentials, and are therefore no substitute for consulting the national legal sources themselves and seeking professional advice where appropriate.
Updates
National patent law and practice are not static; they are changing and developing all the time. You may therefore wish to consult the official publications of the contracting, extension and validation states to make sure that the legal provisions summarised in the tables – and especially the fee amounts given – are still up to date.
The EPO will continue to provide regular updates in its Official Journal about legal developments in the contracting, extension and validation states. It also updates the online version of this publication whenever it learns of any changes at national level.
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