1. Fee payments to EPO bank accounts must be made in EUR and transferred without charge to the payee.

2. On the bank transfer, the payer must give the following payment-reference information:

• patent application number (not the publication number)
• fee code(s)

Examples: "EPXXXXXXXX.X, codes XXX, XXX", "PCT/USXXXX/XXXXXX, codes XXX, XXX, XXX".

In order to enable correct and timely allocation of the payment, payers should verify whether a complete nine-digit application number (including the dot after the eighth digit) has been stated and that no digits have been transposed. In addition, the application number should not contain any blanks.

3. Payers are strongly recommended to make separate transfers for each application, to ensure, in accordance with Article 6(1) of the Rules relating to Fees (RFees), that the payment-reference field gives all relevant data to enable the Office to establish immediately the purpose of payment.

4. Due to developments in electronic processing at the EPO, bank payments concerning

(a) several applications, or

(b) one application, if the payment-reference field is too small for all the data (see point 2 above) needed to ensure immediate allocation of the payment,

must in future be accompanied by EPO Form 1010 or PCT Forms PCT/RO/101 and IPEA/401 and sent to the EPO by post or to its central fax number +49 (0)89 2399-4465 in Munich.

The automated electronic processes will improve the security, timeliness, quality and transparency of fee payments. Failure to use the above forms will delay processing considerably, although payers will not lose their payment date under Article 7 RFees. In such cases, since 1 April 2014 the EPO has however required them to resubmit the order using the standard form, to ensure proper processing.

5. Payments to replenish deposit accounts must be made to the EPO bank account at Commerzbank AG, giving the number of the EPO deposit account concerned (eight-digit number starting with 28) in the reference field of the bank transfer preceded by the word "replenishment" (or "repl", if the payment-reference field is too small) or "deposit".

Examples: "replenishment 28XXXXXX", "repl 28XXXXXX" or "deposit 28XXXXXX"

This information will allow correct and timely booking of replenishments on the deposit account.