The EPO now accepts qualified electronic signatures, in addition to handwritten signatures, for recording assignments and licenses – as outlined in the November 2021 issue of the EPO’s Official Journal.
This applies both to requests already pending when this Notice was originally published on 22 October 2021 and to requests filed thereafter.
The Notice defines a “qualified signature” with reference to EU Regulation No 910/2014 as an electronic signature that:
This is a welcome move to facilitate requests for registration of a transfer of rights under Rule 22 EPC and Rule 85 EPC and requests for registration of a licence or other rights under Rule 23 EPC, in these pandemic times!
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