On 1 May 2008, a major change comes into effect that promises significant savings in the cost of obtaining patent protection in Europe.

This change in patent procedure results from the long-awaited London Agreement finally coming into effect following ratification by France. It is estimated that the Agreement will bring down the cost of obtaining patents granted under the European Patent Convention (EPC) by as much as 40 per cent.

Under the EPC, patents are granted in one of three official languages: English, French and German.  Whereas each state previously required the often lengthy patent document to be translated into its national language, the London Agreement abolishes this for the countries that have signed up.

Simon Mounteney, partner at Marks & Clerk, comments: “The London Agreement should be welcome news for business, particularly smaller players who have found the cost of obtaining patent protection in Europe very difficult to shoulder. As it currently stands, the Agreement does not cover every country in Europe but it is an important, practical step in achieving greater harmonisation and reducing costs."

---