1. Heli Pihlajamaa June 2015Director Patent Law Update on electronic tools of the EPO – notification, filing and fee payment

2. European Patent Office PCT-matters in IP5 WG3  Introduction of ‘top-up’ searches in PCT Chapter II  Information regarding search strategies  Collaborative Search & Examination  Incorporation by reference of missing parts or elements  Transmittal of earlier search results 2

3. European Patent Office Overview  Electronic notification −Amendments to Rule 127 EPC −Mailbox service  Electronic filing – new filings tools −New Online Filing (CMS) −Web-form Filing  Fee payment 3

4. European Patent Office Electronic notification new Rule 127 EPC  amendment in force since 1 April 2015  signifies equal importance of electronic notification  confirms the 10 day rule for electronic notification in the Implementing Regulations: −a communication is deemed to be notified on the 10 th day after transmission −equal treatment with notification on paper (cf. Rule 126(2) EPC) 4  legal safeguards: −express agreement to electronic notification by the addressee required −burden of proof for (timely) electronic notification lies with the EPO  see Notice of the EPO dated 30 March 2015 (OJ EPO 2015, A36)

5. European Patent Office Electronic notification Mailbox service  requires smart card and activation of the mailbox  limited in scope (communications up to grant – see list on the EPO website) and participation (professional representatives only) 5

6. European Patent Office Electronic filing 2000: Online Filing 6  client software package installed on user’s PC  requires a smart card (for wrapping and sending)

7. European Patent Office Electronic filing 2014 (1) – New Online Filing (CMS) 7  web-based application: no need for software installation and update  requires activated smart card (for log-on)  for all types of documents, with the exception of priority documents  PDF, XML, and ST25 sequences listings  access rights management, multi-user features, portfolio management, templates, address book, fee payment etc.

8. European Patent Office Electronic filing 2014 (2) – Web-form filing 8  web-based application for upload of PDF documents  quick-and-easy online registration and log-on (e-mail / password)  not for documents relating to opposition, limitation, revocation and appeal and for priority documents  filing only – no additional features

9. European Patent Office Fee payment  Online Fee Payment −web-based application −requires smart card and EPO deposit account −monitor account −set up and manage automatic debit orders −since 1.4.2015: automatic debit orders also for PCT fees (RO / ISA / IPEA)  Online Filing & New Online Filing (CMS) −allows filing of single payment orders (individual or automatic debit orders including automatic debit orders for PCT fees) 9

10. European Patent Office Thank you for your attention! 10