Part VII – Implementing Regulations to Part VII of the Convention
  1. Home
  2. Legal texts
  3. European Patent Convention
  4. Contents
  5. Implementing Regulations
  6. Part VII
  7. Chapter V
  8. Rule 131
Print
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email

Chapter V – Time limits

Overview

Rule 131
Calculation of periods

(1) Periods shall be laid down in terms of full years, months, weeks or days. 

(2)164 Computation shall start on the day following the day on which the relevant event occurred, the event being either a procedural step or the expiry of another period. Where the procedural step is a notification, the relevant event shall be the deemed receipt of the document notified, unless otherwise provided.

(3) When a period is expressed as one year or a certain number of years, it shall expire in the relevant subsequent year in the month having the same name and on the day having the same number as the month and the day on which the said event occurred; if the relevant subsequent month has no day with the same number, the period shall expire on the last day of that month. 

(4) When a period is expressed as one month or a certain number of months, it shall expire in the relevant subsequent month on the day which has the same number as the day on which the said event occurred; if the relevant subsequent month has no day with the same number, the period shall expire on the last day of that month. 

(5) When a period is expressed as one week or a certain number of weeks, it shall expire in the relevant subsequent week on the day having the same name as the day on which the said event occurred. 


164Amended by decision of the Administrative Council CA/D 10/22 of 13.10.2022 (OJ EPO 2022, A101), which entered into force on 01.11.2023.
See notice from the EPO of 25.11.2022 concerning legal changes to support digital transformation in the patent grant procedure (OJ EPO 2022, A114) and of 06.03.2023 concerning amended Rules 126 EPC, Rule 127 EPC and Rule 131 EPC (OJ EPO 2023, A29).

Previous
Next
EPC - Reference
  • Art. 120
Version history
  • 13.12.2007 - 31.10.2023 
    Decision of the Administrative Council of 07.12.2006 (CA/D 10/06), (OJ EPO 2007, 8 and Special edition 1/2007)
    01.11.2023 -  
    CA/D 10/22 (OJ EPO 2022, A101)
Cross-reference list
  • EPC EPC 1973
    R. 131R. 83
Footer - Service & support
  • Service & support
    • Website updates
    • Availability of online services
    • FAQ
    • Publications
    • Procedural communications
    • Contact us
    • Subscription centre
    • Official holidays
    • Glossary
Footer - More links
  • Jobs & careers
  • Press centre
  • Single Access Portal
  • Procurement
  • Boards of Appeal
Facebook
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
Instagram
EuropeanPatentOffice
Linkedin
European Patent Office
EPO Jobs
EPO Procurement
X (formerly Twitter)
EPOorg
EPOjobs
Youtube
TheEPO
Footer
  • Legal notice
  • Terms of use
  • Data protection and privacy
  • Accessibility