Understand how and when name or address changes are recorded in the Registers—especially in relation to the opposition period

MUNICH - Throughout the lifecycle of a patent application or a granted patent, it is not uncommon for the applicant or proprietor to change their name or address, a press release stated by the European Patent Office (EPO).

The EPO allows applicants and proprietors to update their name or address in applications, granted European patents and Unitary Patents. These changes can be requested in writing and are free of charge. For this purpose, we recommend using EPO Form 5051 for European patents and EPO Form F7038 for Unitary Patents.

Once approved, these changes are recorded in the European Patent Register. However, it is important to note that the EPO’s role in updating this information differs between European patents and Unitary Patents, particularly in relation to the opposition period.

European patents

Changes to the name or address of the applicant or proprietor are recorded in the “EP About this file” view. These can be accessed by clicking on the “Show history” button at the top of the view, provided proceedings are still pending before the EPO and the opposition period has not yet ended.

Once the period for filing an opposition has expired or the opposition proceedings have concluded, the EPO is no longer responsible for updating proprietor-related changes in the “European procedure” section of the European Patent Register.

Unitary Patents

The EPO records changes to the proprietor’s name or address in the Unitary Patent Register, within the “UP About this file” view. These updates are recorded both before and after the opposition period has expired—that is, from the date of registration of the unitary effect until the Unitary Patent lapses.

Regardless of whether the change relates to the applicant or proprietor, the event is recorded as “Change – applicant” in the “EP Event history” view of the Register, and as “Change: Proprietor” in the “UP Event history”.

In both cases, the events are published in the European Patent Bulletin with direct links available from the respective “Event history” views in the Register. The “INPADOC data” section of the “EP Legal status” view of the Register also reflects changes to the applicant’s or proprietor’s name or address.

Additionally, the “All Documents” view in both the European and Unitary Patent Registers display the publicly available documents related to these changes, along with direct links.

Maintaining up-to-date applicant and proprietor details in the European and Unitary Patent Registers is essential for maintaining accurate and enforceable patent rights. By following the procedures and ensuring that dates are documented correctly, patent holders can avoid potential administrative and legal complications.