The European Patent Office (EPO) is aware that European patent applicants and proprietors sometimes receive invoices from firms and individuals inviting them to pay for the publication and/or registration of their applications and patents.

Payment of national patent fees

The Industrial Property Registrations Directorate in Malta has informed us of the following details of the bank account for renewal fees and other fees concerning European patents in Malta.

Beneficiary: Industrial Property Registrations Directorate (IPRD)

I. Background

The European Patent Office (EPO) and the National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil, have decided to extend the Patent Prosecution Highway pilot programme.

The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) leverages fast-track patent examination procedures already available at the offices to allow applicants to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently. It also permits each office to exploit the work previously done by the other office.

1. Under Rule 134(1) EPC, time limits expiring on a day on which at least one EPO filing office is not open for receipt of documents (closing days) are extended until the first day thereafter on which all the filing offices are open for receipt of documents and on which ordinary mail is delivered.