ANNEX VIII

Patent information services

I. File inspection and communication of information from files

The files relating to published European patent applications and patents are available for online inspection. Access to online file inspection is provided in the epoline® area of the EPO website (www.european-patent-office.org).

Art. 128 (4) R. 94 Guid. A-XII OJ 2000, 474; OJ 2003, 370, 373

On request, copies of the files can be made available for inspection. This is subject to payment of a fee.

II. European Patent Register and European Patent Bulletin

The EPO offers Internet access to the Online European Patent Register. Users of the European patent system can go to http://www.european-patent-office.org/register to look up procedural data on European patents and patent applications.

Art. 127 R. 92 OJ 2001, 249; OJ 2003, 23, 69

The Online Register provides bibliographic data together with procedural data from the date of publication to the grant of the patent, plus any data concerning opposition and appeal proceedings. Internet access to the Online Register is free of charge.

The data in the European Patent Register is published weekly in the European Patent Bulletin, where the bibliographic data relating to published European patent applications and granted European patents is arranged according to a number of reference criteria including

Art. 129(a)

·

the International Patent Classification

·

European publication numbers

·

names of applicants/proprietors

III. Patent documents

The EPO also publishes:

Art. 93 OJ 1990, 81 Art. 98, 103

·

European patent applications (A documents) on CD-ROM and paper

·

European patent specifications (B documents) on CD-ROM and paper

IV. Official Journal, Guidelines and board of appeal decisions

The EPO's other standard publications include

Art. 129(b) Art. 10(2)(a)

·

the Official Journal (OJ), containing in particular the legislative acts of the Organisation's Administrative Council, the decisions and notices of the President of the EPO, legal advice from the EPO and selected decisions of the boards of appeal, and

·

the Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office.

V. Terms and conditions

The EPO's sub-office in Vienna is responsible for all services (document dispatch, online access, etc.).

Vienna sub-office
Postfach 90
A-1031 Vienna
Tel. (+43-1) 521 26 4051
Fax (+43-1) 521 26 3591
E-mail: infowien@epo.org