The patent mechanisms in Europe are quite complex and need to be explained to be properly understood.
That is my (humble) goal!
I wish you an excellent read of the dossier « Patents in Europe« .
I will immediately point you to certain resources that will be of great help as you read through:
- The European Patent Convention (or EPC).
- This convention was significantly updated in 2007 to comply, in particular, with another treaty, the PLT (and a major renumbering of the articles was carried out);
- In addition, minor updates are made regularly: the last one dates from 2013;
- The Implementing Regulations of the EPC.
- This document is a kind of implementing decree (if we were to draw a parallel with French law);
- The Rules relating to Fees (or RF) (OJ 3/2012, RF supplement);
- The « Schedule of Fees and official fees of the EPO (applicable as from 1 April 2012)« , (OJ 3/2012, SOF supplement);
- The Transitional Provisions related to the introduction of the EPC 2000;
- The Guidelines for Examination practiced at the European Patent Office;
- The Rules of Procedure of the Boards of Appeal (OJ 1/2013, RPBA supplement);
- The Rules of Procedure of the Enlarged Board of Appeal (OJ 1/2013, RPEBA supplement);
- The « Regulations on Current Accounts » (or RCC) and « Regulations on the Automatic Debiting Procedure » (or ADP) (OJ 3/2015, supplementary publication);
- The latest WIPO-EPO agreement concerning the EPO as ISA, SISA, IPEA (OJ 2010, 304);
- The national laws relating to the EPC.
Happy browsing!