6.2.1 Fees paid by bank transfer – application of Art. 7(3) and Art. 7(4) RFees

If a fee paid by bank transfer enters the EPO's bank account after the period in which it should have been made, the period for payment of that fee is considered observed if the payer provides evidence to the EPO that they fulfilled one of the following conditions in an EPC contracting state within the period for payment of that fee:

(i)payment of the fee was effected through a banking establishment 

(ii)an order was duly given to a banking establishment to transfer the amount of the payment. 

The EPO may ask the person who made the payment to produce evidence, within a period to be specified by it, as to the date on which one of the conditions mentioned above was fulfilled in order for the period for payment of the fee to be considered observed.

Where the period for payment is considered observed in application of Art. 7(3) RFees and Art. 7(4) RFees, any further processing fee paid will be refunded (see A‑X, 6.2.5).