GL C V 3 No reply in time – application deemed withdrawn

If the applicant fails to pay the fee for grant and publishing or the claims fees or to file the translation within the period under Rule 71(3), the application is deemed to be withdrawn unless, within the same period, the applicant files or requests corrections or amendments to the text proposed for grant in the Rule 71(3) communication (see C‑V, 4.1).[Rule 71(7); ]

GL C V 2 Approval of the proposed text – grant of a patent

If applicants pay the fee for grant and publishing and any claims fees due under Rule 71(4) and file the translation of the claims within the specified period (and file or request no corrections or amendments to the text proposed for grant in the Rule 71(3) communication, see C‑V, 4.1), they are deemed to have approved the text intended for grant.[

GL C V 1.5 Other information in the communication under Rule 71(3)

An annex to the communication under Rule 71(3) states the contracting states which have been validly designated as well as the extension and validation states for which the corresponding fees have been paid, the title of the invention in the three EPO official languages, the international patent classification, the date of filing of the application, any priorities claimed, the designated inventors and the registered name of the applicant.

The communication under Rule 71(3) a

GL C V 1.4 Claims fees due in response to Rule 71(3) communication

If the text of the European patent application serving as the basis for grant contains more than fifteen claims, the examining division requests the applicants to pay, within the period under Rule 71(3), claims fees in respect of each claim over and above that number unless they have already done so under Rule 45(1) or Rule 162(1) and (2)

GL C V 1.3 Translations of the claims

The communication under Rule 71(3) also invites the applicant to file a translation of the claims in the two official languages of the EPO other than the language of the proceedings within the same non-extendable four-month period.

If the application contains different sets of claims for particular contracting states (see H‑III, 4), a translation of all the sets of claims must be filed.

Only one copy of the translation need be filed.

GL C V 1.2 Grant and publishing fee

The communication under Rule 71(3) also invites the applicant to pay the fee for grant and publishing within the same non-extendable four-month period.

GL C V 1.1 Text for approval

Once the examining division has decided that a patent can be granted it must inform the applicant of the text on the basis of which it intends to do so. This text may include amendments and corrections made by the examining division on its own initiative which it can reasonably expect the applicant to accept. In case of doubt as to whether the applicant would agree to the amendments proposed by the examining division, the applicant should be contacted by telephone or an official communication has to be written.