As of 1 October 2025, the European
Patent Office (EPO) formally permits the electronic filing and
processing of colour and greyscale drawings in European patent
applications. We outline the key changes and their legal
implications.
The
introduction of this measure, a long-anticipated development in the
context of the EPO's ongoing digital transformation, was
announced in a recent notice published in the Official Journal of
the EPO (OJ EPO 2025, A57).
Pursuant to the notice, patent drawings may now be filed
electronically in colour or greyscale using recognised electronic
filing platforms, including Online Filing 2.0, ePCT, and MyEPO.
Conventional black-and-white drawings remain admissible, and mixed
filings (comprising both colour and black-and-white figures) are
likewise accepted. However, the description, claims, and abstract
must continue to be filed exclusively in black and white.
