Following the Administrative Council’s decision in March 2026 to pave the way for a fully digital and paperless patent granting process (PGP) from 1 April 2027, the European Patent Office (EPO) has published its first set of implementing decisions, together with an accompanying notice.
Published well ahead of their entry into force, the decisions provide users with greater clarity on the future framework and time to prepare for the transition. The accompanying notice explains how the measures will operate in practice and clarifies the consequences of submitting documents on paper or where electronic notification is not possible.
A dedicated webpage has also been launched to provide practical guidance and information to users.
From 1 April 2027, the new framework will introduce mandatory electronic submission or resubmission of applications and other documents, electronic-only notification, and mandatory electronic filing of third-party observations.
Source: EPO
