Pages 373-374

INFORMATION FROM THE EPO

Notice from the European Patent Office dated 6 June 2003 concerning the inspection of files

Through epoline^®, the EPO has extended its range of patent information services and established Internet access to electronic files.1

Following publication of a European patent application, anyone may inspect the associated file online at:

www.epoline.org/onlinefileinspection.htm or

www.epoline.org/ofi.htm

1. Online File Inspection

1.1 Online File Inspection provides users with direct access to all published European patent applications and patents that are stored in electronic form.

1.2 If you enter a valid application or publication number and click on the folder icon, all the documents in the public part of the file are listed, sorted by date, in the form of a "table of contents". By clicking on the link for a document you can display its image in a viewer and print it if you so wish. By checking the box next to a document you can select it for download to your PC. You can also select all the documents at once by clicking on "Select all documents".

1.3 If you request inspection of a file that is not yet stored in electronic form, the file will as a rule be made available online within ten working days of entry of the application or publication number, unless it has already been destroyed (Rule 95a(4) and (5) EPC). This does not apply to files with regard to which oral proceedings are imminent or have recently taken place. Entering a valid application or publication number is equivalent to requesting a file inspection. There is no need for a separate written request.

1.4 Online File Inspection is available from 08.00 to 18.00 hrs CET.

1.5 With the advent of free online file inspection, it is as a rule no longer possible to inspect the paper files on the premises of the EPO.

2. File inspection on paper copies

2.1 If you request file inspection on paper copies, you must pay an administrative fee of EUR 30 in advance. As a rule, if more than 100 pages have to be produced, you are provided with an electronic storage medium holding a copy of the file. If you expressly request paper copies instead of an electronic storage medium, an additional charge of EUR 0.30 per page is levied for each page in excess of 100. The invoice for the additional charge is sent together with the file inspection documents.

2.2 It should be noted that electronic storage media and paper copies for file inspection typically cannot be made available until at least four weeks after receipt of the file inspection request.

3. Telephone enquiries about Online File Inspection

These are answered by EPO Customer Services.

European Patent Office

Patentlaan-2

NL-2288 EE Rijswijk

Tel.: (+31-70) 340 4500

Fax: (+31-70) 340 4600

E-mail: epoline@epo.org

Internet: www.epoline.org

EPO Customer Services are available from Monday to Friday from 08.00 to 18.00 hrs CET.