Guide for Applicants - Part 2:How to get a European patent: E. Euro-PCT procedure before the EPO as a designated (PCT Chapter I) or elected (PCT Chapter II)..., I. General, When must the applicant decide on the scope of protection of the European patent?

Guide for Applicants - Part 2
How to get a European patent

D / E

How to get a European patent

A. General overview

B. The EPO as a PCT receiving Office

C. The EPO as an International Searching Authority

D. The EPO as an International Preliminary Examining Authority

E. Euro-PCT procedure before the EPO as a designated or elected Office

Annexes

Guide for Applicants - Part 2

E. Euro-PCT procedure before the EPO as a designated (PCT Chapter I) or elected (PCT Chapter II)...

D. The EPO as an International Preliminary Examining Authority (IPEA) - PCT Chapter II

I. General

II. The international preliminary examination procedure before the EPO as an IPEA

II. What must the applicant do to initiate the European phase?

When must the applicant decide on the scope of protection of the European patent?

When must the European phase be initiated before the EPO as designated or elected Office?

When must the applicant decide on the scope of protection of the European patent?

161

The applicant has to decide in the European phase for which EPC contracting states he wishes to obtain patent protection by means of a European patent (see point 215). He may choose from among all the EPC contracting states that were contracting states to both the EPC and the PCT on the date of filing of the international application (see points 7, 159). At the same time, he must decide for which extension states he seeks extension of the Euro-PCT application (see points 39 ff and 223 ff).