Applying for a patent

European patents are granted for some or all of the contracting states to the European Patent Convention. They can also be extended to the extension and validation states.

Applicants seeking worldwide patent protection may use the services of the EPO under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). PCT applications may be filed, searched and examined at the EPO.

If you intend to apply for a patent in just a few European countries, it may be better to choose the national route and file your application at the IP offices in the countries for which you are seeking protection.

Thanks to our online services, applicants, attorneys and other users can conduct their EPO business electronically in a secure state-of-the-art environment.

To help you find someone to represent you more easily, the EPO maintains a searchable database for professional representatives.

Find information on fees for EPC, PCT and Unitary Patent procedures, as well as payment methods.