You are here:

Copyright & Patents/European renewal fees

Advertisement

Expert: - 5/11/2009


Question
If the European Patent Office grants me a patent. I
understand that I have to pay annual renewal fees.  During
the application process I designated several countries.  To
pay the renewal fees, do I have to pay the renewal fees to
solely the EPO, or do I have to pay them to only the
designated countries, or do I pay both the EPO renewal fees
and the national renewal fees?

Answer
Hello,

You (only) pay renewal fees to EPO before the grant of the patent.
You (only) pay the member states that you designated after the grant of the patent.
The complete regulations regarding renewal fees to EPO can be found on

http://www.epo.org/patents/law/legal-texts/html/epc/1973/e/ar86.html

Hope this is what you wanted to know.

Regards,
Rene Hasekamp.

Copyright & Patents

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Rene Hasekamp

Expertise

I can answer questions about European patent law and practice. My experience mainly lies in the Dutch patent practice. I am not familiar with other patent systems than the European and Dutch systems, although I am familiar with general issues regarding patents. Please don`t ask me questions, specific for US patent law or any other non-European patent law.

Experience

I have been a patent examiner in the Netherlands Patent Office for 35 years. Now 9 am retired. I have been a deputy judge for patent cases in The Hague's District Court from January 1991 until June 2011.

Education/Credentials
I graduated in Chemistry and Law at Leiden University. I have worked in the Netherlands Patent Office as an examiner for 35 years until my retirement in 2003. I was appointed as a honorary deputy judge for patent cases in 1991. After my retirement I still work at a few cases on patent law in The Hague District Court.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.