To enhance the search products provided to applicants under both the European and PCT filing routes, the European Patent Office (EPO) is launching a new service on 1 April 2017 which will further improve the quality and transparency of its procedures.

1. Numerous European patent applicants and proprietors have informed the European Patent Office (EPO) that firms and individuals have sent them invoices inviting them to pay for the publication and/or registration of their applications and patents. Similar reports have been received from applicants who have filed international applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT applications).

I. General

In accordance with Article 11(1) of the Regulation on the European qualifying examination (REE) and Rule 28 of the Implementing provisions to the Regulation on the European qualifying examination (IPREE), candidates intending to enrol for the European qualifying examination (EQE) for the first time must register once they have commenced their professional activity within the meaning of Article 11(2) REE.

The fees guidance currently applicable is set out in OJ EPO 2016, A26.

The current schedule of fees and expenses of the EPO is set out in supplementary publication 2, OJ EPO 2016.

Fee information is also published on the EPO website: www.epo.org/fees.