1. Fee payments to EPO bank accounts must be made in EUR and transferred without charge to the payee.

2. On the bank transfer, the payer must give the following payment-reference information:

• patent application number
• fee code(s)

Examples: <EPXXXXXXXX.X, codes XXX, XXX>, < PCT USXXXXXXXXXX codes XXX, XXX, XXX>.

3. Payers are strongly recommended to make separate transfers for each application, to ensure, in accordance with Article 6(1) of the Rules relating to Fees (RFees), that the payment-reference field gives all relevant data to enable the Office to establish immediately the purpose of payment.

4. Due to developments in electronic processing at the EPO, bank payments concerning

(a) several applications, or

(b) one application, if the payment-reference field is too small for all the data (see point 2 above) needed to ensure immediate allocation of the payment,

must in future be accompanied by EPO Form 1010 or PCT Forms PCT/RO/101 and IPEA/401 and sent to the EPO by post or to its central fax number in Munich.

The automated electronic processes will improve the security, timeliness, quality and transparency of fee payments. Failure to use the above forms will delay processing considerably, although payers will not lose their payment date under Article 7 RFees. In such cases, from 1 April 2014 onwards the EPO will however require them to resubmit the order using the standard form, to ensure proper processing.