Tag Archives: European patent application

The “Black Hole”: Why the German Priority Document Remains a Legal Risk at the EPO

Posted on July 22, 2026 by Dr. Dirk Franke

Anyone filing a European patent application that claims a German priority must supply the priority document — yet receives no confirmation from the EPO that it has arrived and been accepted. Since the DPMA joined WIPO DAS there has been … Continue reading →

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The Quiet Cost Creep: How the EPO Has Multiplied Its Fees, Step by Step, in Recent Years

Posted on July 7, 2026 by Dr. Dirk Franke

When the European Patent Office (EPO) announces a fee increase, the headline number is usually reassuring: “an average of 4%”, “around 5%”. These percentages are technically correct — and still misleading. They describe the mean across a fee schedule with … Continue reading →

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G 1/24 in Opposition Proceedings: New Lines of Attack – and How to Defend Against Them

Posted on June 25, 2026 by Dr. Dirk Franke

What it is about In decision G 1/24 of 18 June 2025 (“Heated Aerosol”), the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office (EPO) settled a question that had been disputed for years: patent claims must always be interpreted … Continue reading →

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EPO: Abolition of the 10-Day Rule for Notifications

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Dr. Dirk Franke

Under the former 10-day rule, a document was deemed to have been delivered on the tenth day after the date it bore, and time limits were calculated from that fictitious delivery date. That fiction has been removed. A document is … Continue reading →

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Unitary Patent System: Start of the Transitional Measures on January 1, 2023

Posted on January 11, 2023 by Dr. Dirk Franke

The President of the Court of Appeal of the Unified Patent Court (UPC) and the Chairman of the Administrative Committee of the UPC recently announced that transitional measures for the introduction of Unitary patents will begin on January 1, 2023. … Continue reading →

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Cambodia: Validation Agreement Enters into Force

Posted on March 15, 2017 by Dr. Dirk Franke

The European Patent Office (EPO) announced in a recent press release that the agreement between the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia (KH) and the EPO on the validation of European patents was signed on January 23, 2017. With … Continue reading →

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Moldova: Validation Agreement Enters into Force

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Dr. Dirk Franke

The European Patent Office (EPO) announced in a recent press release that the agreement on the validation of European patents between the EPO and the Republic of Moldova entered into force on November 1, 2015. With the recognition of the … Continue reading →

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Morocco: Validation Agreement Enters into Force

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Dr. Dirk Franke

The European Patent Office (EPO) has announced in a recent press release that the agreement on the validation of European patents between the EPO and Morocco will enter into force on March 1, 2015. With the recognition of the EPC, … Continue reading →

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Amended Rules for European Divisional Applications: Consequences and Strategic Considerations for Practitioners

Posted on October 24, 2013 by Dr. Dirk Franke

According to an announcement of the EPO, new rules for filing European divisional applications will enter into force on April 1, 2014. The new rules will have the consequence that for all European patent applications pending on April 1, 2014, … Continue reading →

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Rule 36 EPC: New Time Limits for Filing Divisional Applications at the European Patent Office

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Dr. Dirk Franke

The European Patent Office (EPO) has finally bowed to the pressure of many applicants for a European patent and will introduce new rules governing the filing of divisional applications. As has been announced by the EPO on October 18, 2013, … Continue reading →

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