The number of EPC contracting states increases

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May 14, 2009

San Marino accedes to the EPC

San Marino accedes to the European Patent Convention (EPC) on 1 July 2009. After that date, the European Patent Organisation (EPO) comprises 36 member states that can be designated in a European patent application.

After 1 July 2009, the member states of the EPC are the following:

Austria (AT), Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), Croatia (HR), Cyprus (CY), the Czech Republic (CZ), Denmark (DK), Estonia (EE), the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (MK), Finland (FI), France (FR), Germany (DE), Greece (GR), Hungary (HU), Iceland (IS), Ireland (IE), Italy (IT), Latvia (LT), Liechtenstein (LI), Lithuania (LI), Luxembourg (LU), Malta (MT), Monaco (MC), the Netherlands (NL), Norway (NO), Poland (PL), Portugal (PT), Romania (RO), San Marino (SM), Slovakia (SK), Slovenia (SI), Spain (ES), Sweden (SE), Switzerland (CH), Turkey (TR), and the United Kingdom (GB).

In addition to the member states, a European patent can be extended to the following states that have made an extension agreement with the EPO: Albania (AL), Bosnia and Herzegovina (BA), and Serbia (RS).

Our patent attorneys will be pleased to give you further information about European patents.