From 1 April 2024, the new fee reduction scheme introduced by the European Patent Office (EPO) will come into effect. Eligible beneficiaries include natural persons, universities, public bodies, non-profit organisations and micro-enterprises.

The EPO's tax reduction innovations are designed to support smaller entities with less experience in the field of intellectual property and patents.

The reductions will amount to approximately 30% of the fees payable for: filing, search, examination, designation, grant, and renewal fees for pending European patent applications.
However, this discount will not apply to those who have already filed 4 or more European patent applications in the five years preceding the request.

From the same date, the EPO reductions already in force—which were initially limited to small and medium-sized enterprises, universities, public bodies, non-profit organisations, and natural persons—will also be extended to </w1><w2>micro-enterprises.

It is also possible to combine the reductions from both the new and existing schemes, provided that the applicant meets the requirements for both. In this specific case, the total reduction achievable is approximately 50%.

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