Article 62

ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL

Decision of the Select Committee of the Administrative Council of 9 October 2025 introducing gender-neutral language in the Rules relating to Unitary Patent Protection and the Rules relating to Fees for Unitary Patent Protection (SC/D 1/25)

THE SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT ORGANISATION,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1257/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2012 implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of the creation of unitary patent protection and Council Regulation (EU) No 1260/2012 of 17 December 2012 implementing enhanced cooperation in the area of the creation of unitary patent protection with regard to the applicable translation arrangements,

Having regard to Rule 2(1)(a) of the Rules relating to Unitary Patent Protection,

Expressing its commitment to using gender-neutral language wherever possible in all instruments it adopts,

Affirming that any differences in terminology between Regulations (EU) No 1257/2012 and (EU) No 1260/2012 and any instruments of secondary legislation that arise from the use of gender-neutral language are under no circumstances intended to imply a difference in substance or a divergence from established practice,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The English wording of the Rules relating to Unitary Patent Protection is amended as follows:

(1) The construction "he fulfils" in Rule 10(3) is replaced by "they fulfil".

(2) The construction "he is" in Rule 12(1) is replaced by "they are".

(3) The construction "he has waived his right" in Rule 16(1)(i) is replaced by "they have waived their right".

(4) The pronoun "his" in Rule 22(1) is replaced by "their".

(5) The pronoun "his" in Rule 22(7) is replaced by "their".

Article 2

(1) The following declaration is inserted as a preambulatory clause into the Rules relating to Unitary Patent Protection:

"Any references to persons made in the Rules relating to Unitary Patent Protection are to be understood as being gender-neutral."

(2) The following declaration is inserted as a preambulatory clause into the Rules relating to Fees for Unitary Patent Protection:

"Any references to persons made in the Rules relating to Fees for Unitary Patent Protection are to be understood as being gender-neutral."

Article 3

This decision enters into force on 1 December 2025.

Done at Munich, 9 October 2025

For the Select Committee of the Administrative Council

The Chairperson

Paul VAN BEUKERING