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Bulletins » New EPO and Unitary Patent guidelines come into force

Updated guidelines issued by the European Patent Office (EPO) have come into force today, 1st April 2025.

The EPO annually update their guidelines which provide comprehensive information on all aspects of the search, examination, granting and post-granting processes at the EPO. In 2025, for the first time, the guidelines also incorporate information on the Unitary Patent including the procedures involved in obtaining a Unitary Patent from the European Patent Office once an application has been granted as a European patent. The information previously available in the EPO’s Unitary Patent Guide will in future form part of the core EPO guidelines – representative of the fact that the registration and renewal of Unitary Patents are becoming increasingly important and central functions of the EPO.

The updated guidelines are available on the EPOs website.

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Aerospace
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Automotive
Biotechnology
Chemicals
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Consumer Goods and Retail
Electronics and Electrical Devices
Energy and Green Technologies
Food and Beverage
Industrial Manufacturing and Processing
Materials
Medical Devices and Diagnostics
Pharmaceuticals
Trade Marks
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