EPC and PCT-EPO Guidelines 2022: next steps

https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/epc-and-pct-epo-guidelines-2022-next-steps

EPC and PCT-EPO Guidelines 2022: next steps

31.05.2022

The EPO has concluded its public user consultation (3 February to 15 April) on the 2022 edition of the Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office and the Guidelines for Search and Examination at the European Patent Office as PCT Authority. Over 120 comments on the EPO's Guidelines 2022 were received from 48 users, including representatives of user associations.

All user comments were discussed at the meeting of the SACEPO Working Party on Guidelines on 19 May 2022, a brief summary of which was published on epo.org on 20 May 2022. About 70% of the comments received were adopted and will be reflected in the 2023 edition of the Guidelines.

The Guidelines for Examination in the EPO cover the entire patent grant procedure in eight parts: Formalities Examination (Part A), Search (Part B), Procedural Aspects of Substantive Examination (Part C), Opposition and Limitation/Revocation Procedures (Part D), General Procedural Matters (Part E), the European Patent Application (Part F), Patentability (Part G) and Amendments and Corrections (Part H).

The EPO would like to thank all users who participated in the consultation for their valuable contributions, which will support the EPO in continuously improving the Guidelines.

Below is a statistical summary of the results, which is also published on the EPO website under "Completed consultations".

Users are reminded that feedback on the Guidelines can still be submitted at any time of the year by email to patentlaw@epo.org (for the EPC Guidelines) or international_pct_affairs@epo.org (for the PCT-EPO Guidelines).