HomeHome
 
  • Homepage
  • Searching for patents

    Patent knowledge

    Access our patent databases and search tools.

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • Technical information
      • Overview
      • Espacenet - patent search
      • European Publication Server
      • EP full-text search
    • Legal information
      • Overview
      • European Patent Register
      • European Patent Bulletin
      • European Case Law Identifier sitemap
      • Third-party observations
    • Business information
      • Overview
      • PATSTAT
      • IPscore
      • Technology insight reports
    • Data
      • Overview
      • Technology Intelligence Platform
      • Linked open EP data
      • Bulk data sets
      • Web services
      • Coverage, codes and statistics
    • Technology platforms
      • Overview
      • Plastics in transition
      • Water innovation
      • Space innovation
      • Technologies combatting cancer
      • Firefighting technologies
      • Clean energy technologies
      • Fighting coronavirus
    • Helpful resources
      • Overview
      • First time here?
      • Asian patent information
      • Patent information centres
      • Patent Translate
      • Patent Knowledge News
      • Business and statistics
      • Unitary Patent information in patent knowledge
    Image
    Plastics in Transition

    Technology insight report on plastic waste management

  • Applying for a patent

    Applying for a patent

    Practical information on filing and grant procedures.

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • European route
      • Overview
      • European Patent Guide
      • Oppositions
      • Oral proceedings
      • Appeals
      • Unitary Patent & Unified Patent Court
      • National validation
      • Request for extension/validation
    • International route (PCT)
      • Overview
      • Euro-PCT Guide – PCT procedure at the EPO
      • EPO decisions and notices
      • PCT provisions and resources
      • Extension/validation request
      • Reinforced partnership programme
      • Accelerating your PCT application
      • Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
      • Training and events
    • National route
    • Find a professional representative
    • MyEPO services
      • Overview
      • Understand our services
      • Get access
      • File with us
      • Interact with us on your files
      • Online Filing & fee payment outages
    • Forms
      • Overview
      • Request for examination
    • Fees
      • Overview
      • European fees (EPC)
      • International fees (PCT)
      • Unitary Patent fees (UP)
      • Fee payment and refunds
      • Warning

    UP

    Find out how the Unitary Patent can enhance your IP strategy

  • Law & practice

    Law & practice

    European patent law, the Official Journal and other legal texts.

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • Legal texts
      • Overview
      • European Patent Convention
      • Official Journal
      • Guidelines
      • Extension / validation system
      • London Agreement
      • National law relating to the EPC
      • Unitary patent system
      • National measures relating to the Unitary Patent
    • Court practices
      • Overview
      • European Patent Judges' Symposium
    • User consultations
      • Overview
      • Ongoing consultations
      • Completed consultations
    • Substantive patent law harmonisation
      • Overview
      • The Tegernsee process
      • Group B+
    • Convergence of practice
    • Options for professional representatives
    Image
    Law and practice scales 720x237

    Keep up with key aspects of selected BoA decisions with our monthly "Abstracts of decisions”

  • News & events

    News & events

    Our latest news, podcasts and events, including the European Inventor Award.

    Go to overview 

     

    • Overview
    • News
    • Events
    • European Inventor Award
      • Overview
      • The meaning of tomorrow
      • About the award
      • Categories and prizes
      • Meet the finalists
      • Nominations
      • European Inventor Network
      • The 2024 event
    • Young Inventor Prize
      • Overview
      • About the prize
      • Nominations
      • The jury
      • The world, reimagined
    • Press centre
      • Overview
      • Patent Index and statistics
      • Search in press centre
      • Background information
      • Copyright
      • Press contacts
      • Call back form
      • Email alert service
    • Innovation and patenting in focus
      • Overview
      • Water-related technologies
      • CodeFest
      • Green tech in focus
      • Research institutes
      • Women inventors
      • Lifestyle
      • Space and satellites
      • The future of medicine
      • Materials science
      • Mobile communications
      • Biotechnology
      • Patent classification
      • Digital technologies
      • The future of manufacturing
      • Books by EPO experts
    • "Talk innovation" podcast

    Podcast

    From ideas to inventions: tune into our podcast for the latest in tech and IP

  • Learning

    Learning

    The European Patent Academy – the point of access to your learning

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • Learning activities and paths
      • Overview
      • Learning activities
      • Learning paths
    • EQE and EPAC
      • Overview
      • EQE - European qualifying examination
      • EPAC - European patent administration certification
      • CSP – Candidate Support Programme
    • Learning resources by area of interest
      • Overview
      • Patent granting
      • Technology transfer and dissemination
      • Patent enforcement and litigation
    • Learning resources by profile
      • Overview
      • Business and IP managers
      • EQE and EPAC Candidates
      • Judges, lawyers and prosecutors
      • National offices and IP authorities
      • Patent attorneys and paralegals
      • Universities, research centres and technology transfer centres (TTOs)
    Image
    Patent Academy catalogue

    Have a look at the extensive range of learning opportunities in the European Patent Academy training catalogue

  • About us

    About us

    Find out more about our work, values, history and vision

    Go to overview 

    • Overview
    • The EPO at a glance
    • 50 years of the EPC
      • Overview
      • Official celebrations
      • Member states’ video statements
      • 50 Leading Tech Voices
      • Athens Marathon
      • Kids’ collaborative art competition
    • Legal foundations and member states
      • Overview
      • Legal foundations
      • Member states of the European Patent Organisation
      • Extension states
      • Validation states
    • Administrative Council and subsidiary bodies
      • Overview
      • Communiqués
      • Calendar
      • Documents and publications
      • Administrative Council
    • Principles & strategy
      • Overview
      • Our mission, vision, values and corporate policy
      • Strategic Plan 2028
      • Towards a New Normal
    • Leadership & management
      • Overview
      • President António Campinos
      • Management Advisory Committee
    • Sustainability at the EPO
      • Overview
      • Environmental
      • Social
      • Governance and Financial sustainability
    • Services & activities
      • Overview
      • Our services & structure
      • Quality
      • Consulting our users
      • European and international co-operation
      • European Patent Academy
      • Chief Economist
      • Ombuds Office
      • Reporting wrongdoing
    • Observatory on Patents and Technology
      • Overview
      • Innovation actors
      • Policy and funding
      • Tools
      • About the Observatory
    • Procurement
      • Overview
      • Procurement forecast
      • Doing business with the EPO
      • Procurement procedures
      • Sustainable Procurement Policy
      • About eTendering and electronic signatures
      • Procurement portal
      • Invoicing
      • General conditions
      • Archived tenders
    • Transparency portal
      • Overview
      • General
      • Human
      • Environmental
      • Organisational
      • Social and relational
      • Economic
      • Governance
    • Statistics and trends
      • Overview
      • Statistics & Trends Centre
      • Patent Index 2024
      • EPO Data Hub
      • Clarification on data sources
    • History
      • Overview
      • 1970s
      • 1980s
      • 1990s
      • 2000s
      • 2010s
      • 2020s
    • Art collection
      • Overview
      • The collection
      • Let's talk about art
      • Artists
      • Media library
      • What's on
      • Publications
      • Contact
      • Culture Space A&T 5-10
      • "Long Night"
    Image
    Patent Index 2024 keyvisual showing brightly lit up data chip, tinted in purple, bright blue

    Track the latest tech trends with our Patent Index

 
en de fr
  • Language selection
  • English
  • Deutsch
  • Français
Main navigation
  • Homepage
    • Go back
    • New to patents
  • New to patents
    • Go back
    • Your business and patents
    • Why do we have patents?
    • What's your big idea?
    • Are you ready?
    • What to expect
    • How to apply for a patent
    • Is it patentable?
    • Are you first?
    • Patent quiz
    • Unitary patent video
  • Searching for patents
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Technical information
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Espacenet - patent search
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • National patent office databases
        • Global Patent Index (GPI)
        • Release notes
      • European Publication Server
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Release notes
        • Cross-reference index for Euro-PCT applications
        • EP authority file
        • Help
      • EP full-text search
    • Legal information
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Register
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Release notes archive
        • Register documentation
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Deep link data coverage
          • Federated Register
          • Register events
      • European Patent Bulletin
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Download Bulletin
        • EP Bulletin search
        • Help
      • European Case Law Identifier sitemap
      • Third-party observations
    • Business information
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • PATSTAT
      • IPscore
        • Go back
        • Release notes
      • Technology insight reports
    • Data
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Technology Intelligence Platform
      • Linked open EP data
      • Bulk data sets
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Manuals
        • Sequence listings
        • National full-text data
        • European Patent Register data
        • EPO worldwide bibliographic data (DOCDB)
        • EP full-text data
        • EPO worldwide legal event data (INPADOC)
        • EP bibliographic data (EBD)
        • Boards of Appeal decisions
      • Web services
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Open Patent Services (OPS)
        • European Publication Server web service
      • Coverage, codes and statistics
        • Go back
        • Weekly updates
        • Updated regularly
    • Technology platforms
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Plastics in transition
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Plastics waste recovery
        • Plastics waste recycling
        • Alternative plastics
      • Innovation in water technologies
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Clean water
        • Protection from water
      • Space innovation
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Cosmonautics
        • Space observation
      • Technologies combatting cancer
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Prevention and early detection
        • Diagnostics
        • Therapies
        • Wellbeing and aftercare
      • Firefighting technologies
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Detection and prevention of fires
        • Fire extinguishing
        • Protective equipment
        • Post-fire restoration
      • Clean energy technologies
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Renewable energy
        • Carbon-intensive industries
        • Energy storage and other enabling technologies
      • Fighting coronavirus
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Vaccines and therapeutics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Vaccines
          • Overview of candidate therapies for COVID-19
          • Candidate antiviral and symptomatic therapeutics
          • Nucleic acids and antibodies to fight coronavirus
        • Diagnostics and analytics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Protein and nucleic acid assays
          • Analytical protocols
        • Informatics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Bioinformatics
          • Healthcare informatics
        • Technologies for the new normal
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Devices, materials and equipment
          • Procedures, actions and activities
          • Digital technologies
        • Inventors against coronavirus
    • Helpful resources
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • First time here?
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Basic definitions
        • Patent classification
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC)
        • Patent families
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • DOCDB simple patent family
          • INPADOC extended patent family
        • Legal event data
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • INPADOC classification scheme
      • Asian patent information
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • China (CN)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Chinese Taipei (TW)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • India (IN)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
        • Japan (JP)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Korea (KR)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Grant procedure
          • Numbering system
          • Useful terms
          • Searching in databases
        • Russian Federation (RU)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Facts and figures
          • Numbering system
          • Searching in databases
        • Useful links
      • Patent information centres (PATLIB)
      • Patent Translate
      • Patent Knowledge News
      • Business and statistics
      • Unitary Patent information in patent knowledge
  • Applying for a patent
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • European route
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Guide
      • Oppositions
      • Oral proceedings
        • Go back
        • Oral proceedings calendar
          • Go back
          • Calendar
          • Public access to appeal proceedings
          • Public access to opposition proceedings
          • Technical guidelines
      • Appeals
      • Unitary Patent & Unified Patent Court
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Unitary Patent
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Legal framework
          • Main features
          • Applying for a Unitary Patent
          • Cost of a Unitary Patent
          • Translation and compensation
          • Start date
          • Introductory brochures
        • Unified Patent Court
      • National validation
      • Extension/validation request
    • International route
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Euro-PCT Guide
      • Entry into the European phase
      • Decisions and notices
      • PCT provisions and resources
      • Extension/validation request
      • Reinforced partnership programme
      • Accelerating your PCT application
      • Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH)
        • Go back
        • Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programme outline
      • Training and events
    • National route
    • MyEPO services
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Understand our services
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Exchange data with us using an API
          • Go back
          • Release notes
      • Get access
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Release notes
      • File with us
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • What if our online filing services are down?
        • Release notes
      • Interact with us on your files
        • Go back
        • Release notes
      • Online Filing & fee payment outages
    • Fees
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European fees (EPC)
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Decisions and notices
      • International fees (PCT)
        • Go back
        • Reduction in fees
        • Fees for international applications
        • Decisions and notices
        • Overview
      • Unitary Patent fees (UP)
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Decisions and notices
      • Fee payment and refunds
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Payment methods
        • Getting started
        • FAQs and other documentation
        • Technical information for batch payments
        • Decisions and notices
        • Release notes
      • Warning
    • Forms
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Request for examination
    • Find a professional representative
  • Law & practice
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Legal texts
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Convention
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Archive
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Documentation on the EPC revision 2000
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • Diplomatic Conference for the revision of the EPC
            • Travaux préparatoires
            • New text
            • Transitional provisions
            • Implementing regulations to the EPC 2000
            • Rules relating to Fees
            • Ratifications and accessions
          • Travaux Préparatoires EPC 1973
      • Official Journal
      • Guidelines
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • EPC Guidelines
        • PCT-EPO Guidelines
        • Unitary Patent Guidelines
        • Guidelines revision cycle
        • Consultation results
        • Summary of user responses
        • Archive
      • Extension / validation system
      • London Agreement
      • National law relating to the EPC
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Archive
      • Unitary Patent system
        • Go back
        • Travaux préparatoires to UP and UPC
      • National measures relating to the Unitary Patent 
    • Court practices
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • European Patent Judges' Symposium
    • User consultations
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Ongoing consultations
      • Completed consultations
    • Substantive patent law harmonisation
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • The Tegernsee process
      • Group B+
    • Convergence of practice
    • Options for professional representatives
  • News & events
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • News
    • Events
    • European Inventor Award
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • The meaning of tomorrow
      • About the award
      • Categories and prizes
      • Meet the inventors
      • Nominations
      • European Inventor Network
        • Go back
        • 2024 activities
        • 2025 activities
        • Rules and criteria
        • FAQ
      • The 2024 event
    • Young Inventors Prize
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • About the prize
      • Nominations
      • The jury
      • The world, reimagined
      • The 2025 event
    • Press centre
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Patent Index and statistics
      • Search in press centre
      • Background information
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • European Patent Office
        • Q&A on patents related to coronavirus
        • Q&A on plant patents
      • Copyright
      • Press contacts
      • Call back form
      • Email alert service
    • In focus
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Water-related technologies
      • CodeFest
        • Go back
        • CodeFest Spring 2025 on classifying patent data for sustainable development
        • Overview
        • CodeFest 2024 on generative AI
        • CodeFest 2023 on Green Plastics
      • Green tech in focus
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • About green tech
        • Renewable energies
        • Energy transition technologies
        • Building a greener future
      • Research institutes
      • Women inventors
      • Lifestyle
      • Space and satellites
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Patents and space technologies
      • Healthcare
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Medical technologies and cancer
        • Personalised medicine
      • Materials science
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Nanotechnology
      • Mobile communications
      • Biotechnology
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Red, white or green
        • The role of the EPO
        • What is patentable?
        • Biotech inventors
      • Classification
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Nanotechnology
        • Climate change mitigation technologies
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • External partners
          • Updates on Y02 and Y04S
      • Digital technologies
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • About ICT
        • Hardware and software
        • Artificial intelligence
        • Fourth Industrial Revolution
      • Additive manufacturing
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • About AM
        • AM innovation
      • Books by EPO experts
    • Podcast
  • Learning
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Learning activities and paths
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Learning activities: types and formats
      • Learning paths
    • EQE and EPAC
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • EQE - European Qualifying Examination
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Compendium
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Paper F
          • Paper A
          • Paper B
          • Paper C
          • Paper D
          • Pre-examination
        • Candidates successful in the European qualifying examination
        • Archive
      • EPAC - European patent administration certification
      • CSP – Candidate Support Programme
    • Learning resources by area of interest
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Patent granting
      • Technology transfer and dissemination
      • Patent enforcement and litigation
    • Learning resources by profile
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Business and IP managers
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Innovation case studies
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • SME case studies
          • Technology transfer case studies
          • High-growth technology case studies
        • Inventor's handbook
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Introduction
          • Disclosure and confidentiality
          • Novelty and prior art
          • Competition and market potential
          • Assessing the risk ahead
          • Proving the invention
          • Protecting your idea
          • Building a team and seeking funding
          • Business planning
          • Finding and approaching companies
          • Dealing with companies
        • Best of search matters
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Tools and databases
          • EPO procedures and initiatives
          • Search strategies
          • Challenges and specific topics
        • Support for high-growth technology businesses
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Business decision-makers
          • IP professionals
          • Stakeholders of the Innovation Ecosystem
      • EQE and EPAC Candidates
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Paper F brain-teasers
        • Daily D questions
        • European qualifying examination - Guide for preparation
        • EPAC
      • Judges, lawyers and prosecutors
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Compulsory licensing in Europe
        • The jurisdiction of European courts in patent disputes
      • National offices and IP authorities
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Learning material for examiners of national officers
        • Learning material for formalities officers and paralegals
      • Patent attorneys and paralegals
      • Universities, research centres and TTOs
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Modular IP Education Framework (MIPEF)
        • Pan-European Seal Young Professionals Programme
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • For students
          • For universities
            • Go back
            • Overview
            • IP education resources
            • University memberships
          • Our young professionals
          • Professional development plan
        • Academic Research Programme
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Completed research projects
          • Current research projects
        • IP Teaching Kit
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Download modules
        • Intellectual property course design manual
        • PATLIB Knowledge Transfer to Africa
          • Go back
          • The PATLIB Knowledge Transfer to Africa initiative (KT2A)
          • KT2A core activities
          • Success story: Malawi University of Science and Technology and PATLIB Birmingham
  • About us
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • The EPO at a glance
    • 50 years of the EPC
      • Go back
      • Official celebrations
      • Overview
      • Member states’ video statements
        • Go back
        • Albania
        • Austria
        • Belgium
        • Bulgaria
        • Croatia
        • Cyprus
        • Czech Republic
        • Denmark
        • Estonia
        • Finland
        • France
        • Germany
        • Greece
        • Hungary
        • Iceland
        • Ireland
        • Italy
        • Latvia
        • Liechtenstein
        • Lithuania
        • Luxembourg
        • Malta
        • Monaco
        • Montenegro
        • Netherlands
        • North Macedonia
        • Norway
        • Poland
        • Portugal
        • Romania
        • San Marino
        • Serbia
        • Slovakia
        • Slovenia
        • Spain
        • Sweden
        • Switzerland
        • Türkiye
        • United Kingdom
      • 50 Leading Tech Voices
      • Athens Marathon
      • Kids’ collaborative art competition
    • Legal foundations and member states
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Legal foundations
      • Member states
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Member states by date of accession
      • Extension states
      • Validation states
    • Administrative Council and subsidiary bodies
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Communiqués
        • Go back
        • 2024
        • Overview
        • 2023
        • 2022
        • 2021
        • 2020
        • 2019
        • 2018
        • 2017
        • 2016
        • 2015
        • 2014
        • 2013
      • Calendar
      • Documents and publications
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Select Committee documents
      • Administrative Council
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Composition
        • Representatives
        • Rules of Procedure
        • Board of Auditors
        • Secretariat
        • Council bodies
    • Principles & strategy
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Mission, vision, values & corporate policy
      • Strategic Plan 2028
        • Go back
        • Driver 1: People
        • Driver 2: Technologies
        • Driver 3: High-quality, timely products and services
        • Driver 4: Partnerships
        • Driver 5: Financial sustainability
      • Towards a New Normal
      • Data protection & privacy notice
    • Leadership & management
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • About the President
      • Management Advisory Committee
    • Sustainability at the EPO
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Environmental
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Inspiring environmental inventions
      • Social
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Inspiring social inventions
      • Governance and Financial sustainability
    • Procurement
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Procurement forecast
      • Doing business with the EPO
      • Procurement procedures
      • Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) publications
      • Sustainable Procurement Policy
      • About eTendering
      • Invoicing
      • Procurement portal
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • e-Signing contracts
      • General conditions
      • Archived tenders
    • Services & activities
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Our services & structure
      • Quality
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Foundations
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • European Patent Convention
          • Guidelines for examination
          • Our staff
        • Enabling quality
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Prior art
          • Classification
          • Tools
          • Processes
        • Products & services
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Search
          • Examination
          • Opposition
          • Continuous improvement
        • Quality through networking
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • User engagement
          • Co-operation
          • User satisfaction survey
          • Stakeholder Quality Assurance Panels
        • Patent Quality Charter
        • Quality Action Plan
        • Quality dashboard
        • Statistics
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Search
          • Examination
          • Opposition
        • Integrated management at the EPO
      • Consulting our users
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Standing Advisory Committee before the EPO (SACEPO)
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Objectives
          • SACEPO and its working parties
          • Meetings
          • Single Access Portal – SACEPO Area
        • Surveys
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Detailed methodology
          • Search services
          • Examination services, final actions and publication
          • Opposition services
          • Formalities services
          • Customer services
          • Filing services
          • Key Account Management (KAM)
          • Website
          • Archive
      • Our user service charter
      • European and international co-operation
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Co-operation with member states
          • Go back
          • Overview
        • Bilateral co-operation with non-member states
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Validation system
          • Reinforced Partnership programme
        • Multilateral international co-operation with IP offices and organisations
        • Co-operation with international organisations outside the IP system
      • European Patent Academy
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Partners
      • Chief Economist
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Economic studies
      • Ombuds Office
      • Reporting wrongdoing
    • Observatory on Patents and Technology
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Innovation against cancer
      • Innovation actors
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Startups and SMEs
      • Policy and funding
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Financing innovation programme
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Our studies on the financing of innovation
          • EPO initiatives for patent applicants
          • Financial support for innovators in Europe
        • Patents and standards
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Publications
          • Patent standards explorer
      • Tools
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Deep Tech Finder
      • About the Observatory
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Work plan
    • Transparency portal
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • General
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Annual Review 2023
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Foreword
          • Executive summary
          • 50 years of the EPC
          • Strategic key performance indicators
          • Goal 1: Engaged and empowered
          • Goal 2: Digital transformation
          • Goal 3: Master quality
          • Goal 4: Partner for positive impact
          • Goal 5: Secure sustainability
        • Annual Review 2022
          • Go back
          • Overview
          • Foreword
          • Executive summary
          • Goal 1: Engaged and empowered
          • Goal 2: Digital transformation
          • Goal 3: Master quality
          • Goal 4: Partner for positive impact
          • Goal 5: Secure sustainability
      • Human
      • Environmental
      • Organisational
      • Social and relational
      • Economic
      • Governance
    • Statistics and trends
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Statistics & Trends Centre
      • Patent Index 2024
        • Go back
        • Insight into computer technology and AI
        • Insight into clean energy technologies
        • Statistics and indicators
          • Go back
          • European patent applications
            • Go back
            • Key trend
            • Origin
            • Top 10 technical fields
              • Go back
              • Computer technology
              • Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
              • Digital communication
              • Medical technology
              • Transport
              • Measurement
              • Biotechnology
              • Pharmaceuticals
              • Other special machines
              • Organic fine chemistry
            • All technical fields
          • Applicants
            • Go back
            • Top 50
            • Categories
            • Women inventors
          • Granted patents
            • Go back
            • Key trend
            • Origin
            • Designations
      • Data to download
      • EPO Data Hub
      • Clarification on data sources
    • History
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • 1970s
      • 1980s
      • 1990s
      • 2000s
      • 2010s
      • 2020s
    • Art collection
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • The collection
      • Let's talk about art
      • Artists
      • Media library
      • What's on
      • Publications
      • Contact
      • Culture Space A&T 5-10
        • Go back
        • Catalyst lab & Deep vision
          • Go back
          • Irene Sauter (DE)
          • AVPD (DK)
          • Jan Robert Leegte (NL)
          • Jānis Dzirnieks (LV) #1
          • Jānis Dzirnieks (LV) #2
          • Péter Szalay (HU)
          • Thomas Feuerstein (AT)
          • Tom Burr (US)
          • Wolfgang Tillmans (DE)
          • TerraPort
          • Unfinished Sculpture - Captives #1
          • Deep vision – immersive exhibition
          • Previous exhibitions
        • The European Patent Journey
        • Sustaining life. Art in the climate emergency
        • Next generation statements
        • Open storage
        • Cosmic bar
      • "Long Night"
  • Boards of Appeal
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Decisions of the Boards of Appeal
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Recent decisions
      • Selected decisions
    • Information from the Boards of Appeal
    • Procedure
    • Oral proceedings
    • About the Boards of Appeal
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • President of the Boards of Appeal
      • Enlarged Board of Appeal
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Pending referrals (Art. 112 EPC)
        • Decisions sorted by number (Art. 112 EPC)
        • Pending petitions for review (Art. 112a EPC)
        • Decisions on petitions for review (Art. 112a EPC)
      • Technical Boards of Appeal
      • Legal Board of Appeal
      • Disciplinary Board of Appeal
      • Presidium
        • Go back
        • Overview
    • Code of Conduct
    • Business distribution scheme
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Technical boards of appeal by IPC in 2025
      • Archive
    • Annual list of cases
    • Communications
    • Annual reports
      • Go back
      • Overview
    • Publications
      • Go back
      • Abstracts of decisions
    • Case Law of the Boards of Appeal
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Archive
  • Service & support
    • Go back
    • Overview
    • Website updates
    • Availability of online services
      • Go back
      • Overview
    • FAQ
      • Go back
      • Overview
    • Publications
    • Ordering
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Patent Knowledge Products and Services
      • Terms and conditions
        • Go back
        • Overview
        • Patent information products
        • Bulk data sets
        • Open Patent Services (OPS)
        • Fair use charter
    • Procedural communications
    • Useful links
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Patent offices of member states
      • Other patent offices
      • Directories of patent attorneys
      • Patent databases, registers and gazettes
      • Disclaimer
    • Contact us
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Filing options
      • Locations
    • Subscription centre
      • Go back
      • Overview
      • Subscribe
      • Change preferences
      • Unsubscribe
    • Official holidays
    • Glossary
    • RSS feeds
1991
  1. Home
  2. Legal texts
  3. Official Journal
  4. 1991
  5. Index
Print
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email

Index

Overview

Grouped contents, 1991

EUROPEAN PATENT ORGANISATION
ArticlePage(s)View
Ratification of the European Patent Convention by the Principality of Monaco and the Portuguese Republic549PDF 
ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL
ArticlePage(s)View
Composition of the Administrative Council
Composition of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation19PDF 
Composition of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation424PDF 
Reports on meetings of the Administrative Council
Report on the 39th meeting of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation (4 to 7 December 1990)1-3PDF 
Report on the 40th meeting of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Organisation (2 to 5 July 1991)419-421PDF 
Decisions of the Administrative Council
Decision of the Administrative Council of 7 December 1990 amending the Implementing Regulations to the European Patent Convention and the Rules relating to Fees4-11PDFHTML
Decision of the Administrative Council of 7 December 1990 revising the amounts of fees and amending the Rules relating to Fees11-15PDF 
Decision of the Administrative Council of 7 December 1990 amending the Regulation on the European Qualifying Examination for professional representatives before the European Patent Office15-17PDF 
Decision of the Administrative Council of 7 December 1990 amending the Regulation on the European Qualifying Examination for professional representatives before the European Patent Office18PDF 
Decision of the Administrative Council of 5 July 1991 amending the Implementing Regulations to the European Patent Convention421-422PDFHTML
Decision of the Administrative Council of 5 July 1991 amending Articles 2 and 4 of the Regulation on the European Qualifying Examination for professional representatives before the European Patent Office423PDF 
Decision of the Administrative Council of 12 September 1991 convening a Conference of the Contracting States on the revision of Article 63 EPC513PDF 
BOARDS OF APPEAL
ArticlePage(s)View
Information from the Boards of Appeal of the EPO
Notice concerning the composition of the Enlarged Board of Appeal and the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office in the 1991 working year57-63PDF 
Notice concerning the composition for 1991 of the Presidium of the Boards of Appeal63PDF 
Supplement to OJ 6/1991
EPO BOARD OF APPEAL CASE LAW IN 1990
Supplement to OJ 6/1991PDFHTML
Information from the Enlarged Board of Appeal
Referral by the President of the European Patent Office20PDF 
Referral by a Board of Appeal21PDF 
Referrals by Boards of Appeal373-374PDF 
Referrals by Boards of Appeal589-590PDF 
Decisions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal
Decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal dated 16 November 1990 – G 5/88, G 7/88, G 8/88137-155PDF 
Decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal dated 2 May 1990 – G 1/89155-165PDF 
Opinion of the Enlarged Board of Appeal dated 2 May 1990 – G 2/89166-176PDF 
Opinion of the Enlarged Board of Appeal dated 5 March 1991 – G 1/90275-287PDF 
Decisions of the Legal Board of Appeal
Decision of the Legal Board of Appeal dated 11 December 1989 – J 33/89288-291PDF 
Decision of the Legal Board of Appeal dated 27 November 1989 – J 20/89375-380PDF 
Decision of the Legal Board of Appeal dated 2 August 1990 – J 19/89425-428PDF 
Decision of the Legal Board of Appeal dated 27 November 1989 – J 20/89 Corrigendum473PDF 
Decision of the Legal Board of Appeal dated 30 April 1990 – J 3/90550-560PDF 
Decisions of the Technical Boards of Appeal
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.2.2 dated 6 July 1989 – T 331/8722-29PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.1 dated 7 July 1989 – T 26/8830-50PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.2 dated 3 July 1989 – T 2/8951-56PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.2 dated 8 December 1988 – T 51/87177-185PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.2.1 dated 6 August 1990 – T 272/90205-210PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.2.2 dated 27 October 1989 – T 145/88251-254PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.1 dated 3 August 1989 – T 198/88254-257PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.1 dated 23 November 1989 – T 648/88292-299PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.4.1 dated 13 December 1989 – T 493/88380-391PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.1 dated 14 December 1989 – T 182/89391-401PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.2.2 dated 1 September 1989 – T 305/87429-432PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.5.1 dated 20 October 1989 – T 210/89433-438PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.2.2 dated 19 December 1990 – W 6/90438-445PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.2 dated 25 August 1989 – T 118/87474-479PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.1 dated 11 April 1990 – T 300/89480-486PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.1 dated 20 February 1990 – T 47/90486-488PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.2.2 dated 7 February – T 130/89514-522PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.1 dated 14 August 1990 – T 59/87561-565PDF 
Decision of Technical Board of Appeal 3.4.1 dated 12 December 1989 – T 158/88566-572PDF 
Decisions of the Disciplinary Board of Appeal
Decision of the Disciplinary Board of Appeal dated 21 August 1989 – D 04/89211-217PDF 
Decision of the Disciplinary Board of Appeal dated 22 September 1989 – D 05/89 (Translation)218-222PDF 
Decision of the Disciplinary Board of Appeal dated 5 March 1989 – D 3/89257-265PDF 
Decision of the Disciplinary Board of Appeal dated 15 November 1990 – D 12/88591-600PDF 
INFORMATION FROM THE EPO
ArticlePage(s)View
Legal Advice No. 6/91 rev.: Payment of Fees; Refunds of fees or other sums573-576PDFHTML
Official Journal Index, Year 14/1991InsertPDF 
Decisions of the President of the EPO
Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 18 March 1991 on the setting up of a filing office in the Munich building "Pschorrhöfe"223PDFHTML
Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 19 July 1991 on the filing of authorisations489-490PDFHTML
Supplement to OJ 12/1991
Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 4 November 1991 laying down the equivalents of the fees, costs and prices in Portuguese Escudos (PTE)
Supplement to OJ 12/1991PDFHTML
Notices of the President of the EPO
Notice of the President of the European Patent Office dated 19 November 1990 concerning the extension of time limits according to Rule 85 EPC57PDFHTML
Notice of the President of the European Patent Office dated 11 March 1991 concerning the extension of time limits according to Rule 85 EPC266PDF 
Notice of the President of the European Patent Office dated 22 October 1991 concerning accelerated prosecution of European patent applications ["Seven Measures"]601-603PDF 
Notice of the President of the European Patent Office dated 17 October 1991 concerning holidays observed by EPO filing offices in 1992604PDF 
Notices of the Vice-Presidents
Notice from the Vice-President Directorate-General 2 of the European Patent Office dated 1 February 1991 concerning the move of Principal Directorate 2.1 and other directorates to new premises in Munich186PDF 
Notices from the EPO
Notice dated 8 November 1990 concerning the introduction of Forms 1038 and 103764-67PDF 
Binders for the Patent Bulletin and the Official Journal70PDF 
Amendment of the Administrative Agreement with the German Patent Office dated 29 June 1981187-189PDF 
Bar code on patent documents189PDF 
Notice of the European Patent Office dated 19 March 1991 concerning the setting-up of a further EPO filing office in Munich223-224PDF 
Notice dated 13 March 1991 concerning the amendment of the title of the invention in European patent applications224-225PDFHTML
Notice of the European Patent Office dated 5 April 1991 concerning the possibility of renouncing the Notification to the inventor according to Rule 17(3) EPC266-267PDFHTML
Notice dated 3 June 1991 concerning amendment of the EPC Implementing Regulations and the Rules relating to Fees300-311PDF 
Notice dated 15 May 1991 concerning revised Form 1200312-327PDF 
Information for PCT applicants (as at 1 June 1991) concerning time limits and procedural steps before the EPO as a designated Office under the PCT (Articles 150, 153, Rule 104b EPC)328-339PDF 
Standing Advisory Committee before the EPO (SACEPO)491-492PDF 
"Pschorrhöfe" automated mail-box577PDF 
Enclosure of a standard acknowledgement of receipt (EPO Form 2936) in the case of notifications by registered letter with advice of delivery577-578PDFHTML
Notice from the European Patent Office dated 4 November 1991 concerning the revised Request for Grant form605-622PDF 
Notice from the European Patent Office dated 11 November 1991 concerning the designation of Contracting States in European patent applications in connection with the "subsequent choice of a Community patent" option (Article 82 CPC)623-624PDFHTML
Publications
6th edition of the "European Patent Convention"402PDF 
Reissue of back copies of the Official Journal of the European Patent Office523-524PDF 
Other information
List of holidays observed by EPO filing offices and the national patent authorities in 199168-69PDF 
REPRESENTATION
ArticlePage(s)View
Training at the EPO for Patent Attorneys71-75PDF 
Training at the EPO for Patent Attorneys446-450PDF 
Examination Board for the European Qualifying Examination
Examination Board for the European Qualifying Examination76-78PDF 
Corrigendum: Implementing provisions under Article 12 REE (OJ EPO 1991, 88)226PDF 
Examination Board for the European Qualifying Examination352-364PDF 
Examination Board for the European Qualifying Examination579-580PDF 
List of professional representatives before the EPO
List of professional representatives before the EPO101-111PDF 
List of professional representatives before the EPO190-194PDF 
List of professional representatives before the EPO226-229PDF 
List of professional representatives before the EPO268-270PDF 
List of professional representatives before the EPO365-368PDF 
List of professional representatives before the EPO403-407PDF 
List of professional representatives before the EPO451-457PDF 
List of professional representatives before the EPO493-499PDF 
List of professional representatives before the EPO525-531PDF 
List of professional representatives before the EPO581-586PDF 
List of professional representatives before the EPO625-630PDF 
Disciplinary matters
Appointment of members of the Disciplinary Board of the European Patent Office451PDF 
European qualifying examination
Regulation on the European Qualifying Examination for professional representatives before the European Patent Office79-87PDF 
Implementing provisions under Article 12 REE88-89PDF 
Instructions to Candidates concerning the conduct of the Examination90-92PDF 
Instructions to candidates for preparing their answers92-97PDF 
Instructions to Invigilators97-100PDF 
epi
Basic training in European patent law111-113PDF 
Training for the European Qualifying Examination195PDF 
Council of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office457-460PDF 
Seminars on the European Patent500-501PDF 
COUNCIL ELECTIONS586PDF 
INFORMATION FROM THE CONTRACTING / EXTENSION STATES
ArticlePage(s)View
DE Germany
AMENDMENT OF THE PATENT AND UTILITY MODEL LAWS114PDF 
DECISION OF THE BUNDESGERICHTSHOF (FEDERAL COURT OF JUSTICE), 10TH CIVIL SENATE (PATENT SENATE), DATED 14 JUNE 1988115-123PDF 
JUDGMENT OF THE BUNDESGERICHTSHOF (FEDERAL COURT OF JUSTICE), 10th SENATE, DATED 21 FEBRUARY 1989196PDF 
DECISION OF THE BUNDESPATENTGERICHT (FEDERAL PATENT COURT), 2nd SENATE, DATED 8 DECEMBER 1988 (2 Ni 11/88)197PDF 
DECISION OF THE BUNDESPATENTGERICHT (FEDERAL PATENT COURT), 4th SENATE, DATED 27 NOVEMBER 1989 (4 W (pat) 48/88)197PDF 
DECISION OF THE BUNDESGERICHTSHOF (FEDERAL COURT OF JUSTICE), XTH SENATE, DATED 9 OCTOBER 1990 (X ZB 13/89)408-413PDF 
DECISION OF THE BUNDESGERICHTSHOF (FEDERAL COURT OF JUSTICE), 10th CIVIL SENATE, DATED 9 NOVEMBER 1990 (X ZR 55/89)503-508PDF 
DECISION OF THE BUNDESGERICHTSHOF (FEDERAL COURT OF JUSTICE), 10TH CIVIL SENATE, DATED 3 NOVEMBER 1988 (X ZB 12/86)532PDF 
DECISION OF THE BUNDESGERICHTSHOF (FEDERAL COURT OF JUSTICE), 10th CIVIL SENATE, DATED 18 SEPTEMBER 1990 (X ZR 29/89)533-538PDF 
JUDGMENT OF THE LANDGERICHT (REGIONAL COURT) DUSSELDORF, DATED 5 FEBRUARY 1991 (40 340/90)587PDF 
DK Denmark
IMPACT OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT CONVENTION ON NATIONAL LAW123PDF 
ES Spain
New fee rates271-272PDF 
FR France
NEW ORDER ON FEES198PDF 
JUDGMENT OF THE COUR D'APPEL (COURT OF APPEAL), COLMAR (1st CIVIL CHAMBER), DATED 23 JANUARY 1989539-542PDF 
JUDGMENT OF THE TRI UNAL DE GRANDE INSTANCE COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE), PARIS (3rd CHAMBER), DATED 16 FEBRUARY 1989543PDF 
JUDGMENT OF THE TRIBUNAL DE GRANDE INSTANCE (FIRST INSTANCE COURT), PARIS, DATED 26 SEPTEMBER 1986544-546PDF 
GB United Kingdom
THE PATENTS RULES 1990199-200PDF 
Change of address of the Patent Office272PDF 
THE PATENTS (FEES) RULES 1991509PDF 
GR Greece
New fee rates413-414PDF 
FEES
ArticlePage(s)View
Rules relating to Fees - Decisions
1991 fee adjustment125PDF 
Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 10 December 1990 fixing the amount of the fee for the European Qualifying Examination125PDF 
Change of address of the Caja Postal in Spain511PDF 
Change of name: Algemene Bank Nederland and Österreichische Länderbank632PDF 
Guidance for the payment of fees
Guidance for the payment of fees, costs and prices127-136PDF 
Guidance for the payment of fees, costs and prices203PDF 
Guidance for the payment of fees, costs and prices249PDF 
Guidance for the payment of fees, costs and prices273PDF 
Guidance for the payment of fees, costs and prices371PDF 
Guidance for the payment of fees, costs and prices417PDF 
Guidance for the payment of fees, costs and prices463-472PDF 
Guidance for the payment of fees, costs and prices511PDF 
Guidance for the payment of fees, costs and prices547PDF 
Guidance for the payment of fees, costs and prices588PDF 
Guidance for the payment of fees, costs and prices633-642PDF 
Bank and giro accounts of the European Patent Organisation
Bank and giro accounts of the European Patent Organisation126PDF 
Change of account number with the Osterreichische Länderbank273PDF 
Opening of a bank account in Portugal632PDF 
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES
ArticlePage(s)View
General
Synopsis of the territorial field of application of international patent treaties (Situation on 1 January 1991)230-239PDF 
PCT
Accession of Poland124PDFHTML
Agreement between the European Patent Organisation and the Austrian Patent Office on the carrying out of search work201PDF 
Accession of Greece202PDF 
Information for PCT applicants (as at 1 June 1991) concerning time limits and procedural steps before the EPO as an elected Office under the PCT (Articles 150, 156, Rule 104b EPC)339-351PDF 
Accession Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mongolia and Czechoslovakia369PDF 
Poland461PDF 
Amendment of the Schedule of Fees631PDF 
Budapest Treaty
International Micro-organism Depositary Authorities241-248PDF 
International Micro-organism Depositary Authorities370PDF 
International Micro-organism Depositary Authorities415-416PDF 
Conversion of deposits of micro-organisms made outside the purview of the Budapest Treaty to deposits made within the purview of the Budapest Treaty461-462PDFHTML
International Micro-organism Depositary Authorities462PDF 
International exhibitions
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS AS REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 55 EPC240PDF 


Supplements / Special editions


Supplement to OJ 6/1991
EPO BOARD OF APPEAL CASE LAW IN 1990
 PDF 
Supplement to OJ 12/1991
Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 4 November 1991 laying down the equivalents of the fees, costs and prices in Portuguese Escudos (PTE)
 PDF 
Previous
Next
Footer - Service & support
  • Service & support
    • Website updates
    • Availability of online services
    • FAQ
    • Publications
    • Procedural communications
    • Contact us
    • Subscription centre
    • Official holidays
    • Glossary
Footer - More links
  • Jobs & careers
  • Press centre
  • Single Access Portal
  • Procurement
  • Boards of Appeal
Facebook
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
Instagram
EuropeanPatentOffice
Linkedin
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
EPO Procurement
X (formerly Twitter)
EPOorg
EPOjobs
Youtube
TheEPO
Footer
  • Legal notice
  • Terms of use
  • Data protection and privacy
  • Accessibility