The EPC 2000 is the first major revision of the European Patent Convention in over 30 years.

It brings with it important new provisions for post-grant limitation and judicial review of Board of Appeal decisions. It also imports many minor revisions to the detailed procedures for obtaining and maintaining European patents. These include the liberalisation of the minimum requirements for obtaining a filing date, changes to the EPO language regime and the extension of the scope of further processing under Article 121 and re-establishment of rights under Article 122. Many procedural provisions have also been transferred from the EPC into  the Implementing Regulations, which have been re-numbered.

This convenient guide, written by Nicholas Fox and  published by  the  Chartered  Institute  of  Patent  Attorneys, aims to  help practitioners find their way around the new law. It contains an extensively annotated and cross-referenced copy of the revised Convention and Implementing Regulations, as well as the Rules Relating to Fees. Articles and their most relevant rules are printed together to enable them to be read in context. Practical commentaries highlight the major changes and rule re-numberings, illustrating how the articles and rules interact in practice.