European patent applications at the EPO: EPC filing, patentability and formal requirements, prosecution to grant, validation, Unitary Patent/UPC, PCT routes, and post-grant opposition/limitation, fees
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Practice notes
This Practice Note outlines the requirements and procedural steps for European patent applications at the European Patent Office (EPO), covering EPO post‑grant opposition and limitation procedures. It further explains that, once a European patent is granted, the proprietor may lodge a ‘request for unitary effect’ with the EPO to obtain a unitary patent.
European patents
There are two types of European patents:
- European bundle patents—often called ‘classic’ or ‘traditional’ European patents, or simply European patents or EPs for short, and
- European patents with unitary effect—commonly known as unitary patents
European bundle patents
The European Patent Convention (EPC) created a single route for securing patents in multiple countries from one patent application. The EPC is applied by the EPO, which serves as the executive arm of the European Patent Organisation, an international organisation with 39 member states, including all 27 EU Member States plus certain non‑EU members such as the UK, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey. European bundle patents can confer protection throughout the 39 member states of the European Patent Organisation as well as in certain extension and validation states. See here for a list of all member states of the European Patent Organisation and certain extension and validation states listed...
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Web page updated on 21/05/2026
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