EPO: Fees Update 2026
From April 1, 2026, the European Patent Office (EPO) will update its fee schedule, with an average increase of 5% for most procedural acts. According to the decision published in the official journal OJ EPO 2026, A2, official fees related to prior art searches, examination requests, designation of member states, additional claims, grants, and annuities, for example, will increase.
Fees for prior art searches carried out by the EPO as International Searching Authority under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) will also be adjusted. Filing, opposition, and appeal fees remain unchanged. It is recommended that payments be made by March 31 to ensure current rates. There is a six-month grace period to regularize any insufficient payments made after the new fees come into effect.
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