Patents
Universities to benefit from reduced European patent official fees
March 15, 2024
From 1 April 2024, universities, non-profit organisations, and public research organisations will in many circumstances be eligible for a 30% discount on official fees when applying for a European patent. Spinouts may also be eligible.
The European Patent Office (EPO) has announced that from 1 April 2024, micro entities and universities among others will be able to claim a 30% reduction of all EPO official fees if eligibility criteria are met.
This article is university-focused, and we will prepare separate briefings for businesses.
This new measure will reduce pre-grant costs for universities, and could combine with the post-grant cost savings from the new Unitary Patent scheme to significantly reduce the whole-life cost of a European patent.
The new fee reduction may tempt more applicants to file European applications rather than national applications.
We are currently reviewing the eligibility requirements in detail, and will prepare a more detailed briefing to advise on eligibility for a wide range of situations.
If you have any questions with regards to this article or how Swindell & Pearson can help you and your business with intellectual property, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with your usual attorney or with the head of our Universities team, Tim Gilbert, who prepared this article. We are also available at +44 1332 367 051.
Tim Gilbert
IP Director