European Patent Office
2026

4 - April

Overview

Article 29

Citation: OJ EPO 2026, A29

Online publication date: 30.4.2026

EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE

Information from the EPO

Notice from the European Patent Office dated 22 April 2026 concerning electronic notification using ePCT

  1. As part of its continuing efforts to reduce paper consumption and to further leverage the benefits of digitalisation, the EPO has agreed with the International Bureau of WIPO (IB) that notification of communications in the international phase can be effected using the ePCT service.

  2. ePCT is a secure, browser-based system maintained by the IB and offering a wide range of functions for applicants, IP offices and third parties. Since March 2025, it has been used by the IB for making notifications, invitations and other correspondence (hereinafter collectively referred to as "communications") available for retrieval, in ePCT, by applicants or their agents. This service requires access to ePCT using a WIPO account.1

  3. In accordance with sections 709 and 713 of the PCT Administrative Instructions, starting 1 June 2026, the EPO will make use of ePCT to notify communications issued by the EPO as receiving Office (after transmittal of the record copy to the IB), International Searching Authority or International Preliminary Examining Authority. Communications issued by the EPO as Authority specified for supplementary search under Rule 45bis PCT and communications issued by the EPO as receiving Office before the record copy is transmitted to the IB (such as, for example, form PCT/RO/105) remain, for the time being, excluded from notification using ePCT.

  4. Applicants and international agents interested in this service need a WIPO account and must indicate their consent when filing the international (PCT) application (in form PCT/RO/101), the demand for international preliminary examination (in form PCT/IPEA/401) or at any other point during the international phase. They will then be able to retrieve in ePCT any such communication issued to them in relation to the specific application for which they have consented to this means of notification. There is no one-time, general consent to electronic notification using ePCT covering all applications. Whenever a new communication is available in ePCT, an email with a link to view and download the document in ePCT will be sent to the email address indicated upon filing or subsequently.

  5. Applicants having opted for electronic notification using ePCT will no longer receive corresponding PCT communications on paper.

  6. Electronic notification to ePCT is provided without prejudice to the existing EPO Mailbox. Applicants or agents with an activated EPO Mailbox or with Mailbox access using the "PCT Link" service will receive any such communication from the EPO both in the Mailbox and in ePCT, if they have opted for ePCT notification. In either case, communications are made available for retrieval on the date they bear.

  7. Documents subject to electronic notification are deemed to be delivered on the date they bear. If the applicant or agent proves that the document was delivered later, i.e. that the document was made available in either ePCT or Mailbox on a date later than the date it bears, the safeguards under Rule 80.6 PCT and Rule 127(2) EPC apply.

  1. 1 For information on how to do this, see pct.wipo.int/ePCT.