Annex VI

Patent information services

File inspection and communication of information from files

1. The files relating to published European patent applications and patents can be inspected online via the European Patent Register at epo.org/searching-for-patents/legal/register.

Art. 128(4)
R. 145
GL A‑XI

Paper copies of files are available in exceptional cases only, subject to submission of a duly substantiated request.

GL A‑XI, 2.2

European Patent Register and European Patent Bulletin

2. The European Patent Register offers users both bibliographic and procedural data on European patents and patent applications.

Art. 127
R. 143

The procedural data includes information from the date of publication to the grant of the patent, plus any data concerning opposition and appeal proceedings, as well as post-grant information.

Access to the European Patent Register is free of charge.

3. Data from the European Patent Register is published weekly in the European Patent Bulletin, where the bibliographic data relating to published European patent applications and granted European patents is arranged according to a number of reference criteria, including:

Art. 129(a)

–the International Patent Classification

–the European publication number

–the name of the applicant/proprietor

The European Patent Bulletin is available online at epo.org/searching-for-patents/legal/bulletin.

Patent documents

4. The EPO also publishes:

Art. 93, 98, 103
GL A‑VI, 1.4

–European patent applications (A documents)

–European patent specifications (B documents)

Published documents are available online via the European Publication Server at epo.org/searching-for-patents/technical/publication-server.

Information on other EPO data products can be found at epo.org/searching-for-patents/data.

Official Journal and Guidelines for Examination

5. Two of the EPO's other major publications are:

Art. 129(b)
Art. 10(2)(a)

–the Official Journal (OJ EPO), which contains the decisions of the Administrative Council, the decisions of the President of the EPO, notices from the EPO, information about fees and costs, and selected decisions of the boards of appeal

–the Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office

These publications are available online at epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts.

Further information

Further information about the European Patent Office and the procedures involved in applying for a European patent is available on the EPO website at epo.org:

–information about applying for a patent at epo.org/applying/basics

–patent search at worldwide.espacenet.com

–European Patent Register at register.epo.org

–online filing services at epo.org/applying/online-services

–job vacancies at jobs.epo.org

–quick access to FAQs, publications, forms and tools at epo.org/service-support

–learning and events at epo.org/learning

Visit epo.org/service-support/contact-us to access:

–our contact form

–directions for getting to the EPO

–our postal addresses

–our switchboard numbers