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  On this page we will inform you on the latest legal developments in the field of the protection of industrial property in Germany, the European Union and the European Patent Office.

2010-10-01European Patent Office:
On October 01, 2010 Serbia (RS) became the 38th member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection.

    
2010-05-01European Patent Office:
On May 01, 2010 Albania (AL) became the 37th member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection.

    
2009-07-01European Patent Office:
On July 01, 2009 San Marino (SM) became the 36th member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection.

    
2009-04-01European Patent Office:
On April 1, 2009 increased official fees of the European Patent Office will take effect. E.g. the official fee for any claim in excess of the 51st claim will be raised to € 500. 
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2009-01-01European Patent Office:
On January 01, 2009 The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MK) became the 35th member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection.

    
2008-03-14European Patent Office:
The London Agreement reducing the translation costs of European patents will take effect on May 1, 2008.

Up to now it was necessary to prepare a complete translation of a granted European patent into a respective official language of all the states in which this patent was to take effect. This sometimes caused horrendous translation costs.

According to the new provision of the London Agreement a translation of the specification of the patent into the respective national official language is no longer necessary. Only the granted claims have to be translated into the respective national official language. The individual states that have acceded to the London Agreement can rule whether a translation of the specification of the patent must be available in one of the three official languages of the European Patent Office (German, English or French).

For information about the states that have acceded to the London Agreement and about translations required in the individual states, please click here.

    
2008-03-14European Patent Office:
On April 1, 2008 increased official fees of the European Patent Office will take effect.

Apart from a considerable increase of the annuities, also the surcharge for the late payment of annuities will be increased from previously 10% to 50% of the late annuity payment.

Any claim in excess of the 15th patent claim will in future be subject to the payment of a claim fee of € 200. The first 15 claims are free of charge. As of April 1, 2009 the claim fee for any claim in excess of the 51st claim will be raised to € 500. 
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2008-03-10European Union:
As of March 10, 2008 the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) will limit the searches conducted during the application proceedings of CTMs to the stock of CTMs. The searches that were so far also conducted in some national trademark registers will in future only be conducted upon request. This request is optional and must be made when filing the application and involves the payment of an additional search fee.
    
2008-01-08European Patent Office:
On January 01, 2008 Croatia (HR) and Norway (NO) became the 33rd and 34th member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection.

    
2007-12-13European Patent Office:
On December 13, 2007 EPC 2000, the significantly revised European Patent Convention, entered into force.
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2007-02-26European Patent Office:
On March 01, 2007 Malta (MT) will become the 32nd member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection.

   
2007-01-01European Union:
As of January 01, 2007 two new countries will become members of the European Union (EU):
Bulgaria (BG) and  Romania (RO).

The European Union now covers 27 countries. Please have a look at an overview of the EU countries for European Community Trade Marks and for European Community Designs.

   
2005-07-21European Patent Office:
On July 01, 2005 Latvia (LV) became the 31st member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection.

   
2004-11-19European Patent Office:
On December 01, 2004 Lithuania (LT) will become the 30th member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection.

   
2004-10-20European Patent Office:
On November 01, 2004 Iceland (IS) will become the 29th member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection.

   
2004-02-23European Patent Office:
On March 01, 2004 Poland (PL) will become the 28th member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection.

   
2004-02-14European Union:
The new top level domain ".eu" for internet domain names will presumably be available already in 2004. It is expected that proprietors of registered company names or trade mark rights will obtain the opportunity to let their name register in a so called "sunrise period" in advance. More information is available at www.eurid.org or print our Newsletter No. 1-2004.
 
2004-02-14European Union:
As of May 01, 2004 ten new countries will become members of the European Union (EU):
Estonia (EE),  Latvia (LV),  Lithuania (LT),  Poland (PL),  Czchech Republic (CZ),  Slovakia (SK),  Hungary (HU),  Slovenia (SI),  Malta (MT),  Cyprus (CY).

The European Union will then cover 25 countries. Please have a look at an overview of the EU countries for European Community Trade Marks and for European Community Designs or print our Newsletter No. 1-2004.

 
2003-03-07European Patent Office:
On March 01, 2003 Rumania (RO) became the 27th member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection or print our Newsletter No. 3-2003.

   
2003-01-09European Patent Office:
Since January 01, 2003 Hungary (HU) is the 26th member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection or print our Newsletter No. 2-2003.


2003-01-09European Union:
As of April 01, 2003 the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) will register European Community Designs. This will allow for the first time to obtain protection for a design in the entire European Union. Applications are accepted since January 01, 2003.

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Community Design can establish protection or print our Newsletter No. 1-2003.


2002-11-24European Patent Office:
As of December 01, 2002 Slovenia (SI) will become the 25th member of the European Patent Convention (EPC).

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection or print our Newsletter No. 2-2002.


2002-06-24European Patent Office:
As of July 01, 2002 four new countries will become members of the European Patent Convention (EPC):
Bulgaria (BG), Czech Republic (CZ), Estonia (EE) and Slovakia (SK) may then also be designated in a European Patent application. 24 European countries are now members of the EPC.

Please have a look at an overview of the countries in which a European Patent can establish patent protection or print our Newsletter No. 1-2002.

 

last updated 2011-05-27