Following approximately a decade of digital transformation efforts in joint collaboration with all relevant stakeholders, the transition to a fully digital patent grant procedure (PGP) will be formally completed on April 1, 2027, from which date digital filing of applications and electronic delivery of documents will become mandatory. While a vast majority of users have already adopted the EPO's high-quality, intuitive, and easy-to-use digital services, targeted support will be provided to those who have not yet begun interacting with the EPO through digital means.

Under the guidance of the Strategic Plan 2028, the transition to a fully digital patent grant procedure builds upon long-standing, continuous efforts aimed at simplifying digital workflows, deepening collaboration, and enhancing user experience at every stage of the process.

Complementing comprehensive digital administrative reforms accelerated by the global pandemic, these initiatives contribute to strengthening environmental sustainability by further reducing paper consumption, while also making the European patent system more accessible than ever before. As the EPO approaches this milestone in April 2027, these investments have also driven productivity gains, operational efficiency improvements, and long-term financial sustainability for the EPO.

A fully digital patent grant system will continue to empower European industrial competitiveness for decades to come. Thanks to the EPO's close collaboration with member states and global users, a rigorous framework has been jointly developed. This framework supports the highest standards of data protection and cybersecurity, promotes the consistent, responsible, and secure use of artificial intelligence, and encompasses comprehensive legal provisions to ensure the level of legal certainty expected by users.

Global users universally embrace digital transformation; the European Patent Office continues to provide targeted user services

The Administrative Council of the EPO recently considered and approved supporting legal regulations, providing a legal basis for the full digital transformation and formally confirming an operational shift already practiced by the vast majority of users. Currently, over 99% of new patent applications, 97% of patent oppositions, and 94% of third-party observations are submitted electronically, with digital notifications accounting for over 80% of all official notices. During the digital rollout, the EPO will continuously introduce dedicated measures to serve users: one-on-one assistance, operational guidelines, and accessibility upgrades, with further details to be announced in due course.

What will change starting April 1, 2027:

• EPO communications will be fully digital, with electronic notifications sent via the "MyEPO Mailbox" becoming the default method for all users.

• Both European patent and PCT procedures must utilize electronic filing; paper submissions will need to be resubmitted electronically, except in limited circumstances (such as during in-person oral proceedings before the Boards of Appeal).

• Third-party observations must be submitted through electronic channels.

• User safeguards are strengthened, with updated provisions designed to protect users against system outages and other extraordinary circumstances.

High user engagement has spanned the entire transformation process

Close collaboration between the EPO and its stakeholders has driven the comprehensive transition to a fully digital PGP, ensuring that all high-quality EPO products and services remain rooted in the expertise and experience shared across the broader EPO community. Users' valuable constructive feedback and active engagement have helped optimize this joint journey, contributing significantly to the successful modernization of tools, platforms, and data exchange mechanisms related to the digital patent grant procedure. This, in turn, will bolster the European innovation ecosystem and its global competitiveness.