Is there such thing as an EU patent?

Question

Is it possible to file one patent that covers all EU countries? Or must one file a patent in each of the individual countries?

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 22 '22 at 07:16

2

European patent applications are examined by the EPO and cover 38 countries, soon to be 39; most of them are part of the EU. There most notable non-EU country is the UK.

Once the patent is granted, it must be validated in those countries where the invention is to be protected, so the European patent does not automatically grant you protection in all 38 countries. Validation requires some formalities only, it does not involve examination of the patent by the national patent office.

answered Aug 22 '22 at 07:16

the Europeist

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Can you give a rough ballpark estimate of the cost to obtain an EU patent that covers all 38 of those countries with an attorney? – Bear Bile Farming is Torture Aug 22 '22 at 21:20
You might ask that separately. There is also or is about to be an actual pan-European unified patent. No one gets validated in all 38 places. – George White Aug 22 '22 at 23:45

Is there such thing as an EU patent?

1 Answers1