The European Patent Office and the patent granting procedure Heli Pihlajamaa European Patent Office Directorate Patent Law (5.2.1) 10.12.2009

European Patent Office - Mission As the patent office for Europe, we support innovation, competitiveness and economic growth across Europe through a commitment to high quality and efficient services delivered under the European Patent Convention. The European Patent Office

The European Patent Convention Establishes the European Patent Organisation Provides a system of law for the granting of European patents via a centralised procedure - one language, one procedure European patents have the effect and are subject to the same conditions as a national patent Validation after the grant of the European patent - postponing and avoiding costs for translation Centralized opposition, limitation and revocation procedure The European Patent Office

Structure of the European Patent Organisation The legislative body made up of delegates from the member states supervises the activities of the Office has a specific legislative function European Patent Organisation Administrative Council European Patent Office The executive body responsible for examining European patent applications On the basis of bilateral agreements acting as RO, ISA and IPEA under the Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT) The European Patent Office

36 member states Austria • Belgium • Bulgaria • Croatia • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Ireland • Italy • Latvia • Liechtenstein • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia • Malta • Monaco • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Romania • San Marino • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • Switzerland • Turkey • United Kingdom European patent applications and patents can also be extended at the applicant's request to the following states: Albania • Bosnia-Herzegovina • Serbia Status: July 2009 The European Patent Office 5

Locations Munich headquarters Alles das ist im Prinzip auf diese Gebäude aufgeteilt. Das EPA hat verschiedene Standorte: München, Den Haag, Wien, Berlin und Brüssel. In München ist der Hauptsitz und zwar in diesem Gebäude an der Isar direkt gegenüber vom Deutschen Museum und dem Deutschen Patent- und Markenamt. Dort arbeiten 900 Mitarbeiter (Asbestsanierung). Wir sind hier in den Pschorrhöfen, wo etwa 2500 Mitarbeiter arbeiten und zwar überwiegend Patentprüfer. Den Haag ist der zweite grosse Standort des EPA, in Wien ist ein kleinerer Standort, wo vorallem der Bereich Patentinformation sitzt. Berlin ist eine ganz kleine Zweigstelle und in Brüssel gibt es nur ein Büro mit vier Mitarbeitern, deren Aufgabe darin besteht, den Kontakt und die Kooperation mit der Europäischen Kommission aufrecht zu erhalten. Munich Patent grant procedure Appeals Quality management Administration Legal services International affairs The Hague Patent grant procedure Information management Administration Legal services Vienna Patent information Administration European affairs Brussels Relations with the European institutions and other organisations/ associations Berlin Patent grant procedure Administration The European Patent Office

Number of staff Around 60 % are patent examiners. Munich 3 629 The Haag 2 659 Berlin 276 Vienna 117 Brussels 4 Total 6 685 Stand: December 2008 The European Patent Office 7

The European patent Advantages Patentability criteria Grant procedure Key figures Cost

What advantages does a European patent have? Unitary protection standards in the contracting states One application, one language, one procedure “A la carte” market by possibility of excluding countries from designation Cost effective Cost effective when protection is sought in at least four contracting states Strong Thorough search – 169 million documents Substantive examination = sound legal protection The European patent

What is patentable? To be patentable, an invention must: have a technical character (e.g. comprise a product, process or apparatus) be new involve an inventive step be industrially applicable Some innovations are not patentable under the EPC: for example, mathematical methods or formulae, computer programs and business methods as such are not regarded as inventions new plant or animal varieties and inventions whose commercial exploitation would be contrary to "ordre public" or morality (e.g. the cloning of human life) are examples of inventions excluded from patentability The European Patent

The grant procedure at a glance European patent application Refusal of the application Validation in the designated states Applicant Limitation or revocation proceedings Filing and formalities examination Search and search report together with a preliminary opinion on patentability Substantive examination Grant of a European patent Appeal proceedings European Patent Office Opposition proceedings Publication of the application and search report Publication of the patent specification Public domain Observations by third parties possible The European Patent

EPO Fees Filing phase EUR 1230 Online applications EUR 1150 Examination phase EUR 2 305 Grant phase EUR 1 290 Total procedural fees EUR 4 825 Online applications EUR 4 745 Die reinen Verfahrensgebühren für eine europäische Patenterteilung betragen 5.080 €. (Etwa ein Drittel wird online eingereicht.) Das mag erst einmal teuer erscheinen, aber man muss bedenken, dass man anschliessend einen Patentschutz in 36 europäischen Ländern haben kann. Es ist jedoch wichtig zu wissen, dass nach der Patenterteilung das Verfahren nicht beendet ist. Es ist nur vor dem Europäischen Patentamt beendet. Der Patentinhaber muss sein Patent in jedem einzelnen Vertragsstaat, für den er Patentschutz für seine Erfindung erhalten hat, validieren und jährlich Jahresgebühren bezahlen. Ein Patent kostet also deutlich mehr als diese 5.080 €. Es kommen Jahresgebühren, Übersetzungsgebühren (Londoner Übereinkommen) und evtl. Patentanwaltskosten hinzu. Jahresgebühren DPMA: The European Patent

Fees and some reductions Filing fee (€180 or online filing €100) including additional fee (€12 for the 36th and each subsequent page) Search fee (€1050) (Reduction of the search fee in certain cases, for example when the earlier application was searched by the EPO as a national application) Where appropriate, claims fees (€200 for the sixteenth and each subsequent claim and €500 for the 51st and each subsequent claim) Translation - 20% reduction of filing, search and examination fees, when non-official languages of the EPO being official languages of the Contracting States are used (Art. 14 EPC) Designation fee for one or more contracting states (€500) The European patent

Applications filed Direct European filings Euro-PCT applications entering the regional phase 14

Applications by residence of applicant (2008)

European patents granted 16

Oppositions in 2008 28.6% 39.8% 5% 31.6% Opposition rejected Oppositions were filed against 5% of granted European patents. Over one third of all opposed patents were revoked. Opposition rejected Patent revoked 28.6% 39.8% 5% Oppositions Nur gegen 5% der europäischen Patente wird Einspruch erhoben. Rund ein Drittel der Einsprüche führen zu einem Widerruf des Patents Anmerkung: Die Zahl der Einsprüche hängt stark vom Wettbewerbsumfeld im jeweiligen technischen Gebiet ab. Falls ein Konkurrent im Einspruchsverfahren eine Vorbenutzung geltend macht, erlaubt dies keinen Rückschluss über die Qualität des Prüfungsverfahrens. 31.6% Granted patents Patent maintained in amended form 17

Relating to EP or PCT patent granting procedure: EPO Information Office Munich infomunich@epo.org Tel +49-89-23994512 EPO Customer Services info@epo.org Tel +49-89-2399INFO (2399 -4636) Thank you for your attention !