Maximising The EPO's Fee Reductions For Micro-Entities

On 1 April 2024, the European Patent Office (EPO) introduced a new fee reduction scheme for micro-entities (announced in the Notice from the European Patent Office dated 25 January 2024 concerning fee-related support measures for small entities; Rule 7a(3) and (4) EPC). This scheme provides a 30% reduction of a number of the official fees for a European patent application if the applicant is a micro-entity, regardless of the nationality of country of domicile of the applicant. A few important specifics have come to light, some ofwhich emphasise that one size does not fit all and that some clients may benefit from a more individualised approach to paying official fees and claiming fee reductions.