The designation of contracting states is subject to payment of a designation fee.[Art. 79(2); Rule 39; Art. 149(1); Art. 2(1), item 3, RFees; ]

For applications filed on or after 1 April 2009 this is a flat designation fee covering all EPC contracting states. Therefore, for these applications, the system of charging designation fees for individual designated states (see A‑III, 11.3) no longer applies. For European divisional applications see also A‑IV, 1.3.4 and A-IV, 1.4.1.

For European patent applications, the designation fee must be paid within six months of the date on which the European Patent Bulletin mentions the publication of the European search report.[Rule 39; ]

For divisional applications and new applications under Art. 61(1)(b), the designation fee must be paid within six months of the date on which the European Patent Bulletin mentions the publication of the European search report drawn up in respect of the European divisional application or the new European patent application (see A‑IV, 1.4.1).[Rule 17(3); Rule 36(4); ]

For Euro-PCT applications entering the European phase on or after 1 April 2009, see A‑III, 11.2.5.