News
The European Patent Office (EPO) has adopted an updated schedule of official fees effective from 2026-04-01.
For most day-to-day prosecution steps, the increase is around 5%, affecting in particular the European search fee, examination fee, designation fee, grant/publication fee, and renewal fees.
Quick takeway
- Unchanged: filing fee (online / not online)
- Increased (~5%): search, examination, designation, grant/publication, renewals from year 3 onward
| Fee | Fee before 2026-04-01 (EUR) | Fee from 2026-04-01 (EUR) | Change (EUR) | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filing fee – online | 135 | 135 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Filing fee – not online | 285 | 285 | 0 | 0.00% |
| Search fee – European / supplementary European search | 1520 | 1595 | 75 | 4.93% |
| Examination fee (with supplementary European search report) | 1915 | 2010 | 95 | 4.96% |
| Designation fee (all Contracting States) | 685 | 720 | 35 | 5.11% |
| Renewal fee – 3rd year | 690 | 725 | 35 | 5.07% |
| Renewal fee – 4th year | 845 | 885 | 40 | 4.73% |
| Renewal fee – 5th year | 1000 | 1050 | 50 | 5.00% |
| Fee for grant & publication | 1080 | 1135 | 55 | 5.09% |
Source:
As the year draws to a close, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to our Clients, Partners, and Colleagues for the trust and cooperation we have shared.
May this festive season bring you peace, inspiration, and well-deserved rest, and may the coming year be filled with new opportunities, successful projects, and continued growth.
We wish you a joyful Christmas and a prosperous New Year 2026.
We are pleased to share that our colleague contributed an article to the AIPPI newsletter offering practical guidance on registering the unitary effect of European patents and highlighting typical (however rare) pitfalls.
What the article covers
The AIPPI piece discusses the procedural framework for obtaining unitary effect for European patents and points to areas where applications most often encounter difficulties.
- Strict one-month request period from publication in the European Patent Bulletin.
- Translation requirements aligned with the language of proceedings.
- Ensuring uniformity of claims and addressing downstream amendments.
- Representation formalities and exceptional situations (e.g., sanctions).
Why this matters
While the unitary system simplifies protection across participating EU member states, success still relies on careful execution. The insights shared in the newsletter help applicants and proprietors reduce risk and plan robust filing strategies.
Read the newsletter article
Explore the full text on AIPPI’s website:
How we support your strategy
Our team advises on portfolio planning and prosecution before the EPO and national offices, with particular focus on:
- Patent drafting customized for your business needs.
- Patent prosecution before the European Patent Office.
- Timely and complete unitary effect requests.
- Translations and formalities management.
- Claim alignment and divisional strategies.
- Coordinating national validations and unitary protection.
On 2025-10-15, representatives of the epi (Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office) met with the EPO Directorate-General 1 to discuss current developments and cooperation in the European patent system.
The meeting provided an excellent opportunity for an open exchange of views on topics of shared importance, including procedural efficiency and quality aspects in the patent granting process.
Our firm was represented by Marek Bury among the epi delegation. We value the constructive dialogue with the EPO and appreciate the continued efforts on both sides to strengthen mutual understanding and maintain high standards in European patent practice.
epi meets EPO Directorate-General 1
We are pleased to announce that Marek Bury, Managing Partner at Bury & Bury European and Polish Patent and Trademark Attorneys, has once again been included in the IAM Strategy 300 – The World’s Leading IP Strategists.
The IAM Strategy 300 identifies top professionals worldwide who are driving innovation in intellectual property portfolio management. Those included in the ranking are recognized for their ability to help businesses unlock the full potential of their IP assets by aligning legal protection with strategic business goals.
Commenting on the recognition, Marek Bury said:
“This acknowledgment is not just personal — it reflects the trust and collaboration of our clients and partners. Every effective IP strategy is the result of teamwork between innovators, business leaders, and advisors. I am grateful for the opportunity to support companies in turning their ideas into valuable business assets.”
At Bury & Bury, we combine the expertise of European and Polish patent and trademark attorneys with strategic IP consultancy, offering comprehensive services in:
- Patent prosecution and portfolio management
- Trademark protection and enforcement
- IP strategy and consulting tailored to business objectives
We thank our clients and partners for their confidence, which continues to inspire us in our mission to support innovation and growth through effective IP protection and management.
You can view the official IAM mention here: IAM Strategy 300 – Marek Bury
An article devoted to the latest report by the Polish Patent Office, which shows a worrying trend of declining numbers of patents in Poland, has been published on the prawo.pl portal.
Marek Bury, our CEO and patent attorney was also invited to contribute to the material, sharing his insights on the causes of this phenomenon and its consequences.
We warmly encourage you to read the article (in Polish) and learn more about the broader context of this important topic for entrepreneurs, inventors, and anyone interested in industrial property protection.
Don’t miss it: EPO User Day 2025 is happening on 23-24 September! Marek Bury, our CEO, will discuss the user perspective on MyEPO’s latest developments, joined by Christina ten Hövel and Kieran Donnelly from the EPO, on the very first day.
Registration is now open at https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/events/epo-user-day-2025.
EPO user day is an annual online event to explore the latest updates on the EPO’s digital services, live panel discussions, expert Q&A sessions, and hands-on workshops.
This year’s edition features new sessions for SMEs and micro-entities, showing how patents can support growth, funding and collaboration. You’ll also get to know the new Deep Tech Finder app, a smart tool to connect with investors, start-ups and research partners
We are attending 2025 AIPPI World Congress Yokohama 13 – 16 September. Please write at aippi2025@bnb-ip.eu to schedule a meeting.
We are honoured to receive such enthusiastic feedback from our clients, which translated into the review in the IAM Patent 1000:
” A treasure of the Polish market, Bury & Bury is synonymous with high-quality IP prosecution, bringing a fusion of unparalleled engineering and legal prowess. Lech Bury combines technical acumen and legal nous, with a track record as a leading expert in many R&D projects and the supervision of patent applications pertaining to sophisticated technology. Marek Bury is both a repository of key technical knowledge and an asset to the advancement of the European patent landscape. He is currently serving as head of the information and communications technologies subcommittee of the European Patent Practice Committee. “
Our CEO explores the impact of publicly available data on European patent applications in the latest article, “Trends in Light of Publicly Available Data“ in epi Information.
Read more: Leave a comment Analysis of Divisional Applications Trends in Light of Publicly Available Data