INFORMATION FROM THE EPO
Notice dated 13 February 2007 concerning an updated version of the Request for Grant form (Form 1001)
The accession of Malta to the European Patent Convention as of 1 March 20071 has prompted the following update to page 3 of the 07.052 version of the Request for Grant form:
The footnote to Section 32.1 now includes the new contracting state Malta (MT). The Section 32.1 declaration, which covers all EPC contracting states at the time the application is filed, is worded in such a way that when Form 1001 is used any new contracting states are also designated, even if they have not yet been included in the footnote. The Notes to the form now include a request for examination in Maltese in Part II, re Section 5 3.
The updated version (07.05 rev. 03.07) of both Form 1001 and the Notes are available in (editable) PDF format on the EPO's website (http://www.epo.org). There are no plans for a reprint. Copies of the 07.05 version can be used up without legal prejudice to the applicant.
Page 3 of Form 1001 and page 2 of the Notes, where the changes occur, are reproduced below.
The embedded forms within this article are for technical reasons only available in the PDF version of this article.
3 If the examination fee is to be reduced in accordance with Rule 6(3) EPC and Article 12(1) RFees, the request for examination can be submitted in Maltese as follows: "Qed jigi mitlub l-ezaminazzjoni ta' l-applikazzjoni skond Artiklu 94."
(see Part II, 5 of the Notes to Form 1001). As Section 5 of Form 1001 (left-hand column) already contains a preprinted written request for examination in the EPO's official languages, the recommended procedure is to enter the written request in Maltese in the right-hand column of Section 5. It may however also be submitted later, at any time before the examination fee is paid (see decision J 21/98, OJ EPO 2000, 406).