New Discounted Fees for European Patents

Longer days, lighter evenings, and EPO fee changes… spring is upon us.

This year, in addition to the expected increase in official fees, the European Patent Office is introducing a new fee reduction scheme from 1 April 2024 to support the growth and development of smaller and less experienced European entities. The new fee reduction scheme sees cost savings across the patent lifecycle, making it easier for smaller entities to access the European patent system.  

Who benefits?

The new fee-reduction scheme is available to micro-entities, i.e., natural persons, non-profit organisations, universities, public research organisations, and micro enterprises (fewer than ten employees and annual turnover not exceeding EUR 2 million). The micro-entity must have filed fewer than five European patent or Euro-PCT applications in the last five years to benefit from the scheme.

Eligible micro-entities will be entitled to a 30% reduction in all main EPO official fees in the patent grant procedure. This includes:

• filing fee
• search fee
• examination fee
• designation fee
• fee for grant
• renewal fees

The fee reduction scheme will apply to European patent and Euro-PCT applications that have entered the European regional phase and will apply throughout the application's lifetime so long as the applicant remains a micro-entity.

The scheme will complement the support measures already available to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro entities. The existing support measures include:

• ​a 30% reduction of the filing and/or examination fees when the European patent application or the request for examination is in an official language of an EPC contracting state (other than English, French or German) and the applicant has their place of residence or principal place of business in that contracting state;
• ​a compensation lump sum for Unitary Patent related translation costs; and
• ​a reduced appeal fee.

Unlike the pre-existing language-related fee reductions for the filing and examination fees, the new micro-entity related support scheme is available to micro-entities irrespective of their nationality or domicile.

The new scheme's cost savings are hoped to empower and support individuals and smaller organisations in expanding their patent portfolios and reaping the rewards of their innovations in the global patent landscape.

If you would like to discuss how the new fee reduction scheme and fee changes may impact your current and future IP portfolio, please contact us at mail@stratagemipm.co.uk.