OJ EPO 2013, 418

Since 1 April 2005, European patent specifications (EP-B) have been published electronically; publication in paper form was discontinued with effect from that date.

Under Article 1(2) of the decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 12 July 2007 (Special edition No. 3, OJ EPO 2007, D.2) it has remained possible, on request, to be sent a copy of the patent specification together with the certificate for a European patent. In view of the limited demand and to avoid printing costs, the European Patent Office will no longer provide for this possibility once the new version of the President's decision concerning the content, form and means of communication of the certificate for a European patent enters into force on 1 January 2014. Certified copies of the certificate with the specification annexed will continue to be issued upon request and payment of an administrative fee.

Those parts of the notice from the EPO dated 22 December 2004 concerning the introduction of electronic publication of European patent applications (A-documents) and European patent specifications (B-documents) as well as changes to Rules 51(4), 54 and 108 EPC (OJ EPO 2005, 126) which are inconsistent with the decision of today's date (i.e. point I.1, ninth sentence, and point I.2, sixth and seventh sentences) are hereby set aside.