Chapter I – Languages of the European Patent Office
Rule 1 1
Derogations from the provisions concerning the language of the proceedings in written proceedings
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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) In written proceedings before the European Patent Office any party may use any official language of the European Patent Office. The translation referred to in Article 14, paragraph 4, may be filed in any official language of the European Patent Office.
(2) Amendments to a European patent application or European patent must be filed in the language of the proceedings.
(3) Documents to be used for purposes of evidence before the European Patent Office, and particularly publications, may be filed in any language. The European Patent Office may, however, require that a translation be filed, within a given time limit of not less than one month, in one of its official languages.
1Amended by decision of the Administrative Council of 07.12.1990 which entered into force on 01.06.1991 (OJ EPO 1991, 4 ff). See decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G 3/99 (Annex I).