Iceland and Lithuania join the EPC
Iceland and Lithuania have recently acceded to the European Patent Convention (EPC). The EPC entered into force for Iceland on 1 November 2004, and for Lithuania on 1 December 2004.
Accordingly, European patent applications filed on or after 1 December 2004 will contain designations of the following countries:-
Iceland and Lithuania have recently acceded to the European Patent Convention (EPC). The EPC entered into force for Iceland on 1 November 2004, and for Lithuania on 1 December 2004.
Accordingly, European patent applications filed on or after 1 December 2004 will contain designations of the following countries:-
| Austria | Greece | Portugal |
| Belgium | Hungary | Romania |
| Bulgaria | Iceland | Slovak Republic |
| Cyprus | Ireland | Slovenia |
| Czech Republic | Italy | Spain |
| Denmark | Lithuania | Sweden |
| Estonia | Luxembourg | Switzerland (incl. Liechtenstein) |
| Finland | Monaco | Turkey |
| France | Netherlands | United Kingdom |
| Germany | Poland |
In addition, a European patent may be extended to:-
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
Latvia
Serbia and Montenegro
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
The deadline for payment of the designation/extension fees to the European Patent Office, i.e. the date by which a decision must be made as to the combination of countries that is to be maintained in the application, is six months from the date on which the European Patent Bulletin mentions the publication of the European search report (i.e. the same deadline as for payment of the examination fee).
(December 2004).