Under Article 8 of the Revision Act, the EPC 2000 shall enter into force

• two years after the fifteenth Contracting States has deposited its instrument of ratification or accession, or
• on the first day of the third month following the deposit of the instrument of ratification or accession by the Contracting State taking this step as the last of all Contracting States, if this takes place earlier.

On 13.12.2005, Greece became the fifteenth state to deposit its instrument of ratification. The EPC 2000 will therefore enter into force on 13.12.2007 at the latest.

According to Article 172(4) EPC, a Contracting State that has not ratified or acceded to the EPC 2000 at the time of its entry into force shall cease to be party to the EPC as from that time.

Status of accession and ratification - online