GL A X 4.4 Payment by credit card

Credit card as a method of payment is available since 1 December 2017 (see OJ EPO 2017, A72). Payment by credit card must be made via the EPO's credit card fee payment service available on the EPO website (epo.org), using a credit card accepted by the EPO (American Express, Mastercard and Visa). Payment by credit card is deemed to have been made on the date on which the transaction is approved.

GL A X 4.3 Automatic debiting procedure

A deposit account may also be debited on the basis of an automatic debit order signed by or on behalf of the account holder (automatic debiting procedure), in accordance with the Arrangements for the automatic debiting procedure (abbreviated to "AAD").

GL A X 4.2.4 Date of receipt of the debit order; insufficient funds

Provided that there are sufficient funds in the deposit account on the date of receipt of the debit order by the EPO or on the execution date, that date will be considered as the date on which the payment is made.[]

This is also applicable where a debit order is filed together with an application filed under Art. 75(1)(b) with a competent national authority of a contracting state (see A‑II, 1.6).

GL A X 4.2.3 Debiting the deposit account

Debiting occurs on the basis of an electronic debit order signed by the account holder or the authorised representative.

GL A X 4.2.2 Payments to replenish a deposit account

Payments to replenish a deposit account are to be made in euro to the EPO bank account. Payments in a different currency will only be accepted if freely convertible. However, the deposit account will always be credited in euro (the only currency in which these accounts are kept) after conversion at the current rate of exchange.[]

Repayments of deposit account balances can only be remitted to the deposit account holder.

GL A X 4.2.1 General remarks

The Arrangements for deposit accounts (hereinafter abbreviated to "ADA") and their annexes are updated on a regular basis, either in their entirety or in part, whenever a change or clarification of the scope of practice is required. A consolidated version of the ADA was last published as Supplementary publication 4, OJ EPO 2019.

GL A X 4.2 Deposit accounts with the EPO

4.2.1 General remarks

4.2.2 Payments to replenish a deposit account

4.2.3 Debiting the deposit account

4.2.4 Date of receipt of the debit order; insufficient funds

GL A X 4.1 Payment or transfer to a bank account held by the European Patent Organisation

The date on which the amount is actually entered in the European Patent Organisation's bank account is considered as the date on which payment is made. It is therefore possible for the day following the payment or transfer to be considered as the date on which payment is made or an even later date in the event of delays within the bank.