The EPO will no longer send out EPO Form 1201 as of 1 November 2023. Currently, where the EPO is selected as designated or elected Office, it sends it during the international phase to inform European professional representatives, international agents and applicants of the steps to take to enter the European phase. Instead, all relevant information will be available in a dedicated section on the epo.org website.
As a result applicants, in particular those not wishing to enter the European phase, will no longer have to handle this communication. The change is also another milestone towards a digital and paperless patent grant process.
Form 1201 currently also specifies the European application number allocated to the international application. Applicants will be able to find this number in the following ways: Read more