Special edition No. 3, OJ EPO 2007, A.1

The President of the European Patent Office, having regard to Article 10(2)(a) EPC and Rule 2(1) EPC, has decided as follows:

Article 1

Filing offices of the European Patent Office

(1) For the purposes of Article 75(1)(a) EPC and Rule 35(1) EPC, the European Patent Office (EPO) has filing offices at its headquarters and "PschorrHöfe" buildings in Munich, its branch at The Hague and its Berlin sub-office.

(2) The EPO's sub-office in Vienna is not a filing office for the purposes of Article 75(1)(a) EPC and Rule 35(1) EPC. Patent applications filed with the Vienna sub-office are forwarded to one of the filing offices and will only be accorded a filing date on receipt by the latter.

(3) The filing offices in Munich and Berlin are equipped with automated mail-boxes which may be used at any time. The automated mail-box facility is not yet available at the filing office in The Hague. Outside office hours, documents may be handed to the porter.

(4) Patent grant procedure documents other than authorisations and priority documents may be filed by fax. ^[ 1 ]

Article 2

Opening hours of the filing offices

(1) The EPO's filing offices are open for the receipt of documents during the working hours of the site in question. ^[ 2 ]

(2) The filing offices are closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. ^[ 3 ]

Article 3

Previous decisions superseded

Upon the entry into force of this decision, the decisions of the President dated 10 May 1989 on the setting-up of a filing office in the Berlin sub-office of the European Patent Office (OJ EPO 1989, 218) and dated 18 March 1991 on the setting-up of a filing office in the Munich building "PschorrHöfe" (OJ EPO 1991, 223) shall cease to apply.

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