Examination
Thorough examinations that result in high quality patents
Get it right first time
Applications of higher quality, or those which were amended to reflect the findings of an EPO search report and written opinion, can be processed with fewer interactions.
Delivering thorough examinations on time
Timeliness is important to our users - the mean duration of the examination procedure for applications granted in 2022 was 24.3 months.
Timeliness was improved without compromising on quality by deploying a prioritisation scheme and developing new examiner tools.
Independent quality audits
Our Directorate Quality Audit (DQA) provides more in-depth insights into the quality of our examination. In 2022, the number of files for which DQA had no findings remained around 76%, with a ±2.9% confidence interval. The target was 85%.
Following questions from external stakeholders about transparency on the findings raised by the DQA auditors, a new bar chart has been designed to show the details requested and demonstrate the thoroughness of quality audits.
The findings are classified according to users' priorities and feedback. The bar charts show that about 15% of files concern findings related to grounds of opposition. Files with only findings concerning clarity and sufficient disclosure are identified separately (5% in 2022).
User satisfaction survey
The user satisfaction survey conducted in 2022/2023 gives a reliable view of how our users rate our substantive examination. Overall satisfaction levels (very good and good ratings combined) stood at 78%. Among other results, "Coverage of independent claims" yielded overall satisfaction levels of 83%. Satisfaction with the timeliness of the examination procedure stands at 63%, showing the EPO needs to continue working to improve in this area.
Arrows indicate statistically significant changes.
Source: BERENT, EPO