The EQE is designed to establish whether the candidate has the requisite aptitude and knowledge to represent applicants before the EPO.
The examination is organised and conducted by a Supervisory Board, an Examination Board, Examination Committees and an Examination Secretariat.
The current Regulation on the European qualifying examination (REE) and its Implementing provisions (IPREE) can be found here.
EQE syllabus
Candidates need to be particularly conversant with European patent law, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the Paris Convention, EPO board of appeal case law and certain national laws in so far as they apply to European patent applications and European patents. The content of the examination only relates to legal texts which were in force on 31 October of the year preceding the examination.
Languages
The examination papers are drawn up in the three official languages of the EPO (English, French and German). Candidates may be permitted to submit their answers in another official language of a contracting state.
Examination Papers
The EQE, usually held once a year, comprises five papers:
- Pre-examination - assesses candidates' ability to answer legal questions and questions relating to the drafting of claims
- Paper A - tests the candidate's ability to draft claims and the introductory part of a European patent application.
- Paper B - requires candidates to prepare a reply to an official letter in which prior art has been cited.
- Paper C - involves drafting a notice of opposition to a European patent.
- Paper D - assesses candidates' ability to answer legal questions and to draft legal assessments.
Candidates may use for the examination any books and documents they consider useful for answering the examination papers.
Passing the EQE
To pass the EQE, it is obligatory to pass all examination papers. Candidates may not enrol for the main examination (papers A, B, C and D) until they have passed the pre-examination. There is a compensatory system in the main examination whereby under certain circumstances, low marks can be offset by good marks in other papers.
