INFORMATION FROM THE EPO
Notice from the European Patent Office dated 31 March 2008 concerning updated EPO Forms 1001, 1010, 1031 and 2300
The abolition of payment by cheque as from 1 April 20081 has meant updating (edition 04.08) a number of EPO forms. The forms concerned, and the amendments made, are as follows:
- EPA/EPO/OEB Form 1001 (Request for grant of a European patent): deletion of point 6 in Section 48 B
- EPO Form 1010 (Payment of fees and expenses): deletion of "Enclosed cheque No." box
- EPA/EPO/OEB Form 1031 (Receipt for documents): deletion of "Cheque – Amount" box under column B
- EPO Form 2300 (Notice of opposition to a European patent): deletion of point 5 in Section XI.
As from 1 April 2008, claims fees as laid down in the Rules relating to Fees are payable for the sixteenth and each subsequent claim2. EPO Form 1010, information sheet 1034 and the notes to Forms 1001 and 1200 have been updated and revised accordingly (edition 04.08).
The updated forms are available in (editable) PDF format on the EPO website: www.epo.org.3
Please note that European patent applications and fee payments can also be submitted quickly and easily using the EPO's Online Filing software. Online Fee Payment services are also available.
For more details about EPO Online Services, go to www.epoline.org.
1 See OJ EPO 2007, 533 and 626.
2 See Administrative Council decisions CA/D 2/08 of 6 March 2008 amending the Implementing Regulations to the European Patent Convention (OJ EPO 2008, 124) and CA/D 16/07 of 14 December 2007 amending the Rules relating to Fees (OJ EPO 2008, 5).
3 Forms are also available from the EPO (preferably Vienna, but also Munich, The Hague and Berlin) and the central industrial property authorities of the EPC contracting states.