EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE
Information from the EPO
Notice from the European Patent Office dated 22 October 2021 concerning the issuing of EPO badges for professional representatives
Professional representatives whose names appear on the list maintained by the EPO under Article 134(1) EPC may obtain an EPO badge which they can use to access the EPO's buildings and to identify themselves in proceedings before the EPO (either on the premises of the EPO or by videoconference). Badges can be obtained either in person from the EPO's offices in Munich, The Hague, Berlin or Vienna or by video call, as set out below.
Obtaining a badge in person
EPO badges for professional representatives can be obtained in person from the EPO's offices at the following times:
Munich (PschorrHöfe and Isar buildings): Monday-Friday, 09.00-11.00 and 13.00-14.00 hrs
The Hague: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 13.00 - 14.30 hrs
To obtain a badge outside these times, please email serviceline@epo.org for an appointment.
Berlin: Please email serviceline@epo.org and we will contact you to make an appointment.
Vienna: Please email servicepointvienna@epo.org and we will contact you to make an appointment.
When visiting the EPO to obtain your badge, please report direct to security staff at the reception desk. You will be required to show proof of your identity, e.g. your passport or national identity card. Once verification checks have been completed, security staff will take your photo and issue your badge. If you visit our Berlin or Vienna offices, your badge will be produced in Munich and sent to you by post.
For the latest information on COVID-19 measures in operation at the EPO's premises, see the External partners/visitors section on our website (epo.org/news-events/covid-19.html).
Obtaining a badge by video call
Please send an email to support@epo.org with the following information:
1. your full name
2. your contact details (including phone number and email address and the business address to which the badge should be sent)
3. a photograph of yourself in jpeg format (minimum 400 dpi resolution, ICAO standard, white background)
Your request will be dealt with as follows:
Once your request has been registered by support@epo.org and provided all the requirements mentioned under points 1-3 above are fulfilled, EPO security will contact you to arrange an appointment for a video call.
In the video call you will be asked to show proof of your identity (e.g. passport or national identity card).
Once your identity has been verified by EPO security and all requirements are fulfilled, your badge will be produced and sent to your business address by registered post.
To use your badge to access the EPO's premises, you will need to ask EPO security to activate it the next time you visit the EPO. Your badge does not have to be activated in order for it to be used for identification purposes.
DATA PROTECTION STATEMENT
The personal data we collect is necessary in order for us to provide the EPO badge that will enable you as a professional representative to access the EPO buildings and to identify yourself at EPO proceedings. The information you provide will be cross- checked by EPO security staff using the publicly available list of patent attorneys maintained by the EPO under Article 134(1) EPC.
If you opt to provide the requested information, we will process your personal data in accordance with our Data Protection Guidelines (DPG) and will retain it only as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes mentioned above and ensure the appropriate level of security. It will be kept in the card management systems for the duration of the validity of the badge, in the CRM ticketing system for the duration of the contract with the company responsible for the application and in the EPO's ticketing systems for the duration of the validity of the badge (five years from the date of production). We will delete your personal data as soon as it is no longer required. You may opt not to provide any information and not to receive an EPO badge for professional representatives. This way we will not process your personal data. If you opt to provide us with the data, the aforementioned rules on retention and security will apply for as long as we retain it.
You have the right to access, rectify and erase your personal data, as well as to restrict its processing and object to the same, as set out in Article 14 DPG. If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please send your request to the delegated data controller at support@epo.org. Your request will normally be answered within three months of receipt. This period may, however, be extended under Article 14(7) DPG, depending on the complexity and number of requests received. We will inform you of any such extension.
The data controller is the European Patent Office (EPO). The EPO department responsible for this processing operation (i.e. the delegated data controller) is Principal Directorate General Administration (PD 4.4).
If you have any questions, please email PD 4.4 at support@epo.org.
You can also contact our Data Protection Officer at dpo@epo.org.