Pages 300-301

INFORMATION FROM THE EPO

Decisions of the President of the EPO

Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 25 March 1999 concerning the carrying out of international-type searches and the setting of a new fee for such searches

Having regard to Article 10 EPC, Articles 3 and 6(4) RFees and Article 8 of the Agreement between the EPO and WIPO under the PCT (OJ EPO 1998, 85), the President of the European Patent Office has decided as follows:

Article 1

Carrying out of international-type searches by the EPO

The European Patent Office shall, in its capacity as an International Searching Authority under the PCT, carry out an international-type search (Article 15 PCT) on a national patent application if the application is filed with the patent authority of a contracting state to the European Patent Convention and the national law of that state provides for an international-type search.

Article 2

Fees for international-type searches

(1) Unless different terms have been agreed between the European Patent Organisation and the national patent authorities of the contracting states, the fee for an international-type search under Section 2.2, No. 1 of the fees schedule shall be as follows:

EUR 945 for patent applications in which no priority is claimed (first filings);

EUR 1 482 in all other cases.

(2) The equivalents of these fees in the currencies of the contracting states shall be as follows:

Article 3

This decision shall enter into force on 1 July 1999 and shall apply to patent applications filed on or after 1 July 1999.

Done at Munich, 25 March 1999

Ingo KOBER

President