Rules Relating to Fees
Article 9
Insufficiency of the amount paid
A revised version of the European Patent Convention entered into force on 13 December 2007. The provisions of the revised Convention apply unless the transitional provisions provide for the applicability of the EPC 1973. |
(1) A time limit for payment shall in principle be deemed to have been observed only if the full amount of the fee has been paid in due time. If the fee is not paid in full, the amount which has been paid shall be refunded after the period for payment has expired. The Office may, however, in so far as this is possible within the time remaining before the end of the period, give the person making the payment the opportunity to pay the amount lacking. It may also, where this is considered justified, overlook any small amounts lacking without prejudice to the rights of the person making the payment.
(2) Where the request for grant of a European patent designates more than one Contracting State in accordance with Article 79, paragraph 1, of the Convention, and the amount paid is insufficient to cover all the designation fees, the amount paid shall be applied according to the specifications made by the applicant at the time of payment. If the applicant makes no such specifications at the time of payment, these fees shall be deemed to be paid only for as many designations as are covered by the amount paid and in the order in which the Contracting States are designated in the request.