On 20 April 2020 the Supervisory Board of the EQE announced that the 2020 EQE (16-19 March 2020) has been finally cancelled. All candidates have been informed by the Examination Secretariat that the candidates that were enrolled for the 2020 Main Exam papers are automatically enrolled for those papers in the 2021 Main Exam (2-4 March). The Supervisory Board has also announced that all candidates that fulfil the 3-year training period under the supervision of a professional representative may enrol for the 2021 Main Exam without having passed the Pre-Exam.
The epi has drafted a letter which will be sent to all candidates.
For further details please consult the EQE website.
epi view on EQE March 2020 cancellation
Letter to EPO
epi Information
epi publishes a quarterly journal. Its primary objective is to inform members of epi's current activities.
Deadline for epi Information 3|2020: 13 July 2020
Welcome
The Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office (epi) came into existence pursuant to the European Patent Convention (EPC).
epi meetings in view of the Covid-19 situation
(update 19.05.2020)
The Presidium and the Board of the epi are closely monitoring the situation created in Europe by the Covid-19 epidemic. Sadly, we can only observe how this epidemic is impacting our families, our communities, our profession and our very way of life. We can but hope that all of you are well and keeping safe.
Measures have been implemented to ensure, as far as possible under the circumstances, support for the Presidium, Board, Council and committees.
epi C88 Council meeting will held electronically on 29th June 2020. Council members are kindly invited to regularly check the epi forum and their mail box to remain fully updated about further organizational matters concerning their online attendance.
Further precautionary measures include the postponement or cancellation of all epi meetings and educational events, if they involve a physical meeting, until end June at least. All Committee meetings with up to 20 participants can be conducted using the videoconference tool of epi. The "Life of a Patent" Distance Learning Course is of course not affected.
May 18, 2020
Enlarged Board of Appeal Issues Opinion in Referral G 3/19
On 14 May 2020, the Enlarged Board of Appeal issued its opinion regarding the referral in case G 3/19 (Pepper). Explicitly abandoning its earlier decisions in cases G 2/12 (Tomatoes II) and G 2/13 (Broccoli II), it held that plants and animal products exclusively obtained by essentially biological processes are not patentable.
May 08, 2020
Experience from a Mock ViCo Oral Proceedings [updated May 13, 2020]
On Tuesday 5th May, four epi members (David Brophy, Bart van Wezenbeek, John Gray and Chris Mercer) took part in a recorded mock opposition division oral proceedings by videoconference.
The recorded mock OP module is now online!