UP services UP annuities
A unitary patent is a ‘European patent with unitary effect’ which has been granted by the EPO under the rules and procedures of the EPC.
18
EU member states
1
Renewal fee to EPO
2023
System in force since
UPC
Single court
UP annuities
Centrally paying annuities for UP. Please send us your unitary patent number and we will pay the UP renewals via EPO.
Payment to
EPO – single fee in euros
Renewal period
Year 2 until year 20
Grace period
6 months with 50% surcharge
One single renewal fee
The patent owners must pay annual renewal fees to maintain their unitary patents – one single renewal fee to the EPO for all countries covered by a unitary patent rather than separate fees for each country. Only one fee, procedure, currency, and deadline.
Timing and due dates
The due date for the renewal fee will be the last day of the month which contains the anniversary of the filing date for the EP application. One should pay the renewal fee within six months of the payment date – it includes a 50% surcharge.
The renewal fees are business-friendly, corresponding to the combined renewal fees. They would be due in the countries with the most often validated European patents in 2015 (DE, FR, GB, and NL). Renewal fees for unitary patents are payable to the EPO – in euros – by payment or transfer to a bank account held by the EPO, or through debiting a deposit account held with the EPO. Holders of EPO deposit accounts will also be able to use the EPO’s ‘Online Fee Payment’ service.
The cost-effectiveness of a UP rises with the number of countries where a patent owner would have their validated EP. Usually, that means four or more countries. After they grant an application, it will be necessary to pay the annual renewal fee. For UPs, you will have to pay for the second year until the twentieth year. These fees are calculated individually – from the date upon which one applied for a European patent.
The cost-effectiveness of a UP rises with the number of countries where a patent owner would have their validated EP. Usually, that means four or more countries. After they grant an application, it will be necessary to pay the annual renewal fee. For UPs, you will have to pay for the second year until the twentieth year. These fees are calculated individually – from the date upon which one applied for a European patent.
