An international application may be filed by delivery by hand or by post with one of the EPO's filing offices in Munich, The Hague or Berlin. All EPO filing offices are based in the Central European Time (CET) zone. For further details, see GL/EPO A‑II, 1.1. The documents making up the international application must be filed in one copy only.[OJ EPO 2017, A11; OJ EPO 2018, A18; OJ EPO 2018, A27; ]

The date of filing accorded to an application delivered by hand or by post is the date of handing over or receipt respectively at an EPO filing office, provided that the requirements under Art. 11 are fulfilled (see GL/PCT‑EPO A‑II, 4.1).

If a filing sent by post is lost or delayed, the EPO accepts evidence of posting only if the document was sent via a postal authority or one of the following generally recognised postal service providers: Chronopost, DHL, Federal Express, flexpress, TNT, SkyNet, UPS or Transworld. As evidence, confirmation of registration by the post office or confirmation of receipt by the postal service provider must be provided at the EPO's request. Rules 82 and 82quater do not apply to the priority period, but they do apply to the time limit for submission of a request for restoration of the right of priority under Rule 26bis.3 (see GL/PCT-EPO A-VI, 1.5).[Art. 48(1); R. 26bis.3; 82.1; 82quater; OJ EPO 2015, A29; ]