European Patent Office reduces fees for applications
The European Patent Office (EPO) has decided to reduce the fees for the grant of a European patent by an average of 20% from 1 July 1997. The EPO system allows companies to file a single application and receive patent protection in as many as 18 separate jurisdictions of its member countries. By reducing the fees, the EPO is making a contribution to the promotion of innovation in Europe. In particular, the reductions should make patent application more attractive for SMEs. The average application to the EPO requests protection in eight states. The fee for this will be reduced from DEM 5,300 to DEM 1,950, a reduction of over 60%. The EPO is also examining proposals for a substantial cut in the costs of translation of applications, which currently account for around 40% of the fees. The EPO's reduction in fees is one of the few instances in the history of patents where fees have been reduced and is a response to worldwide calls for lower patent costs.