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INFORMATION FROM THE EPO

Notice from the European Patent Office dated 25 April 2006 concerning the completion of technical preparations for publication of European patent specifications

1. According to the decision of the President of the EPO dated 25 April 20061, the technical preparations for publication of European patent applications are deemed completed five weeks before the scheduled date of publication. Under Rule 53 EPC, Rule 48 EPC applies mutatis mutandis to the publication of European patent specifications. As a result, as from 1 May 2006, the period between completion of the technical preparations for publication of a European patent specification and the publication itself will likewise be five weeks.

2. The decision to grant (EPO Form 2006) is issued after the technical preparations for publication of a patent specification have been completed (Guidelines for Examination in the EPO, C-VI, 15.8). The patent specification is published at the same time as the publication of the mention of the grant in the European Patent Bulletin (Article 98 EPC). Whereas in the past the mention of the grant was published in the European Patent Bulletin six weeks after issue of the decision to grant, the publication will in future take place four weeks after issue of the decision to grant.