Automatic debiting procedure: more flexibility for users
From 1 April 2025, the EPO will offer users of the automatic debiting procedure more flexibility in the automatic payment of their fees during the European patent grant procedure.
In response to user feedback requesting more flexibility in the automatic debiting procedure, and in line with Strategic Plan 2028, the European Patent Office (EPO) has taken measures to further improve its fee payment procedures. The automatic debiting procedure benefits users by ensuring convenience, accuracy and timeliness in payments during the European patent grant procedure.
As of 1 April 2025, users will be able to choose between three types of automatic debit orders, covering either all fees, all fees except renewal fees or only renewal fees. This will enable different persons to share the responsibility of paying the renewal and procedural fees for a single application while still benefiting from the convenience of automatic debiting. Previously, the automatic debiting procedure could not be restricted to specific types of fees.
Once implemented, the different types of automatic debit orders can be requested in Central Fee Payment, which is the EPO’s primary tool for making payments and managing automatic debit orders.
The Arrangements for deposit accounts and their annexes, in particular the Arrangements for the automatic debiting procedure, have been amended to reflect the implementation of the different types of automatic debit orders.
