A European patent application may give rise to rights in rem, may be licensed and may be the subject of legal means of execution. This includes contractual licences only (Art. 73). Licences and other rights may be geographically limited to parts of the territories of the designated contracting states only.[Art. 71; Art. 73; Rule 23(1); Rule 24(a); Rule 24(b); ]

In the case of co-applicants, the registration of licences requires the consent of each of the co-applicants.

Rule 22(1) and Rule 22(2) apply mutatis mutandis to the registration of the grant, establishment or transfer of such rights (see E‑XIV, 3).

A licence will be recorded in the European Patent Register as an exclusive licence if the applicant and the licensee so require. A licence will be recorded as a sub-licence where it is granted by a licensee whose licence is recorded in the European Patent Register.