Special edition No. 3, OJ EPO 2007, D.3

The President of the European Patent Office, having regard to Rules 68(2), 73(2) und 87 EPC, has decided as follows:

Article 1

Form of publication of European patent applications and European search reports

(1) European patent applications and European search reports shall be published in electronic form by means of a publication server on which they are made available for downloading. If a European patent application exceeds 400 pages and has been published with a corresponding indication, the complete application may also be published on other suitable electronic media.

(2) Where European patent applications exceed 400 pages and have been published with a corresponding indication, the European Patent Office may also make them available on other suitable electronic media on separate request.

Article 2

Form of publication of European patent specifications

(1) Specifications of European patents as granted or amended shall be published in electronic form by means of a publication server on which they are made available for downloading. If a European patent specification exceeds 400 pages and has been published with a corresponding indication, the complete specification may also be published on other suitable electronic media.

(2) Where European patent specifications exceed 400 pages and have been published with a corresponding indication, the European Patent Office may also make them available on other suitable electronic media on separate request.

Article 3

Previous decisions superseded

Upon entry into force of this decision, the decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 9 June 2000 concerning the form of publication of European patent applications (OJ EPO 2000, 367) and the decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 22 December 2004 concerning the form of publication of European patent applications, European search reports and European patent specifications (OJ EPO 2005, 124) shall cease to have effect.

Article 4

Entry into force

This decision shall enter into force upon the entry into force of the revised text of the Convention in accordance with Article 8 of the Revision Act.

Done at Munich, 12 July 2007

Alison BRIMELOW

President