RRF - OJ 2001, 524

Notice dated 1 October 2001 concerning the introduction of the euro

- OJ 2001, 524 -

By a decision of 28 June 2001 the Administrative Council made the euro the sole currency of the EPO with effect from the beginning of 2002 (OJ EPO 2001, 377). By a further decision of the same date, the Council, with a view to simplifying payment procedures, rounded off the fees in euro in Article 2 of the Rules relating to Fees (RFees) to the nearest 5 or 0 (OJ EPO 2001, 378 ff). By a decision of 28 September 2001(see p. 540) the President of the EPO rounded off the EPO's administrative fees in the same way. The amounts rounded off are binding on payments made on or after 3 January 2002. The Schedule of Fees valid as of 3 January 2002, in which the fees are given in euro only, is enclosed with this edition of the Official Journal.

The following changes will apply as of the beginning of January 2002:

1. Equivalents

As Article 5 RFees has been amended and Article 6 RFees deleted, the President of the EPO will no longer lay down the equivalents of the amounts of the fees, costs and prices expressed in euro.

2. Accounts

In future, all EPO accounts will be in euro only. The following euro accounts have been set up in those contracting states which are not part of the eurozone:

A list of the EPO's accounts is published at the back of each issue of the Official Journal.

3. Payments

As of 1 January 2002, all payments and transfers must be made in in euro to the EPO's euro accounts. Cheques made payable to the Office must be made out in euro only. As of 1 January 2002, payments in other currencies will no longer be accepted.

For technical reasons the rounded-off amounts in euro will only apply to payments made on or after 3 January 2002. Please note, therefore, that the amounts in euro not rounded off will still apply to payments which are considered under Article 8 RFees to have been made on 2 January 2002.

4. Refunds

As of 1 January 2002 all refunds of patent fees will be made in euro.