Ancillary Regulations Part II: Rule 24(1) OJ 2003, 609

Rule 24(1) OJ 2003, 609: Notice from the European Patent Office dated 3 December 2003 concerning the electronic filing of documents within the meaning of Rule 36 EPC

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Table of Contents

Foreword

Ancillary Regulations

Part II

Rule 24(1)

Rule 17(3) OJ 1991, 266: Notice of the European Patent Office dated 5 April 1991 concerning the possibility of renouncing the Notification to the inventor according to Rule 17(3) EPC

Rule 24(2) OJ 2001, 465: Notice dated 1 October 2001 concerning new patent application numbering system for 2002

Rule 24(1) OJ 2003, 609: Notice from the European Patent Office dated 3 December 2003 concerning the electronic filing of documents within the meaning of Rule 36 EPC

Rule 24(1) OJ 2004, 270: Notice from the European Patent Office dated 19 March 2004 concerning the electronic filing of European patent applications with the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA)

Rule 24(1) OJ 2003, 610: Notice dated 3 December 2003 concerning the preparation of the technical documents of an European application in XML format using PatXML

Rule 24(1) - OJ 2003, 609

Notice from the European Patent Office dated 3 December 2003 concerning the electronic filing of documents within the meaning of Rule 36 EPC

- OJ 2003, 609 -

1. The European Patent Office (EPO) has extended the functionality of its epoline® Online Filing software¹. As from 3 December 2003, documents other than priority documents may be filed electronically in grant proceedings. This possibility is not yet available in opposition and appeal proceedings; in such proceedings, therefore, the electronic filing of documents is not admissible.

2. If the EPO is acting as receiving office or international searching or preliminary examining authority under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), no documents other than the international application (RO/101) may be filed electronically.

3. Receipt of documents filed online is acknowledged by the EPO during the submission session. Receipt of those filed on electronic data carriers is acknowledged by post.

4. epoline® Online Filing software is available on request from EPO Customer Services.

For more information, contact:

EPO Customer Services

European Patent Office

Patentlaan 2

NL-2288 EE Rijswijk

Tel.: (+31-70) 340 4500

Fax: (+31-70) 340 4600

e-mail: epoline@epo.org

Internet: www.epoline.org

Contactable: Monday to Friday, from 08.00 to 18.00 hrs.

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¹	OJ EPO 2002, 543 and OJ EPO 2002, 545.