In the initial three months following the implementation of new fee discounts on 1 April, the uptake among micro-entities has been notably positive, aligning with the objectives set forth by the Administrative Council during the 2023 fee policy review.
The reform, designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the EPO, introduced budget-neutral adjustments to fees, including targeted discounts aimed at improving access to the patent system for underrepresented micro-entities.
Notably, the EPO successfully mitigated the impact of double-digit inflation from the pandemic by implementing an exceptional below-inflation fee adjustment in 2023. The revised fee structure has resulted in substantial savings for eligible micro-entities, with over 1,900 applications benefiting from more than €1 million in savings and over 4,000 reduced fees.
The EPO's commitment to supporting underrepresented innovators is further demonstrated through a range of complementary measures, including language-related fee discounts and the Deep Tech Finder tool.
Micro-entities seeking fee reductions can easily request them by indicating their eligibility on the appropriate electronic forms provided by the EPO.
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