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L. PCT

L.10 International phase - late-payment fee

Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 26 February 1998 concerning the late-payment fee under Rule 58bis.2 PCT

OJ EPO 1998, 282

The President of the European Patent Office, having regard to Rule 58bis.2 PCT which will enter into force on 1 July 1998, has decided as follows:

Article 1

Late-payment fee

Payment of the handling fee and the preliminary examination fee in response to an invitation from the European Patent Office as International Preliminary Examining Authority pursuant to Rule 58bis.1(a) PCT shall be supplemented by a late-payment fee pursuant to Rule 58bis.2 PCT.

Article 2

Amount of the late-payment fee

The late-payment fee shall be 50% of the amount of unpaid fees which is specified in the invitation; it shall however be at least equal to but not more than double the amount of the handling fee under Rule 57.2(a) PCT.

Article 3

Entry into force

This decision shall enter into force on 1 July 1998.