Chapter V – The final stage of examination
10. Publication of the patent specification
The decision to grant contains the date of the mention of the European patent's grant and is sent to the applicant when the technical preparations for printing the patent specification have been completed.
As soon as possible after the mention of the grant is published in the Bulletin, the EPO publishes the patent specification containing the description, claims (in the three official languages) and any drawings. The front page of the published specification shows, in particular, the contracting states still designated at the time of grant (or whose designation has been withdrawn after completion of the technical preparations for printing). Regarding the form in which the publication takes place, see the decision of the President of the EPO dated 12 July 2007, Special edition No. 3, OJ EPO 2007, D.3.
Mistakes in a European patent specification made during its production have no effect on the content of the patent granted. For this, only the text on which the decision to grant is based is decisive (see H‑VI, 4). If necessary, the EPO may arrange for correction to be made public as soon as any mistake in a specification is discovered. This is done by means of a note in the European Patent Bulletin and publication of a corrigendum, the sole purpose being to bring the specification into line with the content of the decision to grant (see Rule 143(2) and the decision of the President of the EPO dated 14 October 2009, OJ EPO 2009, 598, Art. 1, point 2 15 July 2014, OJ EPO 2014, A86, Art. 1(2)).