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ARTICLE · 15 MAY 2018

Slowing Things Down At The EPO

Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP
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In recent years the European Patent Office (EPO) has launched a number of initiatives to increase efficiency and timeliness.

European UnionIntellectual Property
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
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In recent years the European Patent Office (EPO) has launched a number of initiatives to increase efficiency and timeliness.

Since the introduction of these Early Certainty schemes, the EPO has received mixed feedback with some users expressing concerns regarding possible adverse effects of accelerated examination.

To address this and to give applicants additional time to assess their case requirements, the EPO launched a consultation on a potential new procedural option to postpone the start of substantive examination. The EPO’s proposal, known as ‘User Driven Early Certainty (UDEC)’, was originally set to enter into force on 1 July 2018 with a full review of the programme to take place within three years after entry into operation.

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