# Epoline

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European patent software

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (July 2020)

epoline Developer European Patent Office Release 2000s Operating system Web-based (platform-independent) Type Patent application and monitoring License Proprietary Website European Patent Office

**epoline**[1] is a set of [web](/source/World_Wide_Web)-based [computer programs](/source/Computer_program) and [services](/source/Service_(systems_architecture)) enabling applicants, [patentees](/source/Patent) and their representatives to file [patent applications](/source/Patent_application) [online](/source/Internet) before the [European Patent Office](/source/European_Patent_Office) (EPO), as well as to monitor the status of patent applications during their [prosecution](/source/Patent_prosecution) and patents during an [opposition](/source/Opposition_procedure_before_the_European_Patent_Office). The epoline products and services have been implemented and are maintained by the EPO, according to the Decision of the [President](/source/European_Patent_Office#Management) of the EPO dated 29 October 2002.

## Products and services

Besides being available for filing European patent applications with the EPO, the epoline online filing software (also called "Online Filing", "OLF", "eOLF" or "epoline Online Filing") can also be used since December 3, 2003 for filing any official document during patent prosecution. The use of on-line filing passed the 50% level of patent application filings in January 2008.[2] The *epoline* online filing software also allows to file patent applications online with the national patent offices that support it.

Until March 4, 2009, the epoline online filing software could not be used for filing oppositions or [appeal](/source/Appeal_procedure_before_the_European_Patent_Office). This had been confirmed by a Board of Appeal decision in [T](/source/Appeal_procedure_before_the_European_Patent_Office#References) 514/05 of September 8, 2005, according to which "[a]n appeal filed via epoline [could not] have any legal effect absent explicit permission of the President of the EPO."[3] The explicit permission of the President of the EPO has since been provided. Since March 5, 2009 indeed, documents in all proceedings under the EPC, including opposition, appeal, [revocation](/source/Limitation_and_revocation_procedures_before_the_European_Patent_Office), [limitation](/source/Limitation_and_revocation_procedures_before_the_European_Patent_Office) and review proceedings,[4] may be filed with the EPO in electronic form, i.e. with the epoline software [5] or, subject to prior approval by the EPO, with other software.[6] [Priority](/source/Priority_right) documents however cannot be filed electronically, "unless they have been digitally signed by the issuing authority and the signature is accepted by the European Patent Office."[7]

WebRegMT is a monitoring tool for monitoring data from the online [European Patent Register](/source/European_Patent_Register). The tool sends [e-mail](/source/E-mail) alerts when a change occurs in the status of a selected patent application or patent.[8]

## See also

- [Electronic Filing System (USPTO)](/source/Electronic_Filing_System_(USPTO))

- [Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt](/source/Deutsches_Patent-_und_Markenamt) (DPMA) filing software PaTrAS

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** epoline is a [trademark](/source/Trademark) of the European Patent Organisation (see community trade marks No: [000970566](https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/000970566) and [001070077](https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/001070077) at EUIPO)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-burt_2-0)** R. Burt, [*Report of the On-line Communications Committee (OCC)*](http://216.92.57.242/patentepi/data/epi_02_2008.pdf)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*], *[epi Information](/source/Epi_Information)* 2/2008, p. 59.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** European Patent Office, [Decision T 0514/05 of the Technical Board of Appeal 3.4.3 of September 8, 2005](http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/t050514ep1.html). See also (in French) Laurent Teyssedre, [*T765/08 : recours formés par voie électronique*](https://europeanpatentcaselaw.blogspot.com/2009/04/t76508-recours-formes-par-voie.html), Le blog du droit européen des brevets, April 18, 2009. Consulted on May 1, 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** EPO web site, [*NEW: online filing of requests and other documents in opposition, appeal, revocation, limitation and review proceedings*](http://www.epo.org/patents/updates/2009/20090305.html)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*], Updates, March 5, 2009. Consulted on March 7, 2009.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** EPO web site, [*Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 26 February 2009 concerning the electronic filing of documents*](http://www.epo.org/patents/law/legal-texts/president/archive/20090226.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20090309035829/http://www.epo.org/patents/law/legal-texts/president/archive/20090226.html) 9 March 2009 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Notices and decisions of the President, 26 February 2009. Consulted on March 7, 2009.[*[dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Decision of the President of the EPO dated 26 February 2009, Article 5(3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Decision of the President of the EPO dated 26 February 2009, Article 3.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** European Patent Office web site, *Guide to the "My.epoline" services* [WebRegMT](http://docs.epoline.org/doc/epoline/myepoline/en/WebRegMT_Help_EN.htm), retrieved on August 10, 2006 [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070921020330/http://docs.epoline.org/doc/epoline/myepoline/en/WebRegMT_Help_EN.htm) September 21, 2007, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

## External links

- [Official website](https://web.archive.org/web/20051101234442/http://my.epoline.org/portal/public)

- [*Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 26 February 2009 concerning the electronic filing of documents*](https://web.archive.org/web/20090309035829/http://www.epo.org/patents/law/legal-texts/president/archive/20090226.html) as published on the EPO web site.

- Axel H. Horns, *[On Data Formats for the »epoline« System](https://web.archive.org/web/20060827193159/http://www.ipjur.com/data/030504epoline03a1.pdf)*, [epi](/source/European_Patent_Institute) Information 2/2003 p. 58 (and [full text](https://web.archive.org/web/20100707022355/http://www.ipjur.com/data/epoline03.pdf): in the ipjur.com web site)

- Paul Brewin, [*Regarding “On Data Formats for the ‘epoline’ System”*](http://www.european-patent-office.org/news/info/2003_07_14_e.htm), Information from the European Patent Office, July 14, 2003

v t e European Patent Organisation Founding texts European Patent Convention (EPC) Revised version (EPC 2000) Organs European Patent Office (EPO) Administrative Council Procedure Grant procedure Opposition Limitation and revocation Appeal Petition for review Enforcement Case law Case Law book Decisions and opinions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal Decisions of the Boards of Appeal relating to Article 52(2) and (3) EPC Successful petitions for review under Article 112a EPC Related topics Divisional applications epoline Espacenet European Patent Bulletin European Patent Institute (epi) European Patent Register European Round Table on Patent Practice (EUROTAB) Fees Guidelines Judges' Symposium London Agreement Observations by third parties Official Journal Prohibition of reformatio in peius Representation Restitutio in integrum Standing Advisory Committee (SACEPO) Software patents Unified Patent Court (UPC) Unitary patent (EU) Unitary patent (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) EPC contracting states Albania Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Moldova Monaco Montenegro Netherlands North Macedonia Norway Poland Portugal Romania San Marino Serbia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey United Kingdom Extension (E) and validation (V) states Bosnia and Herzegovina (E) Cambodia (V) Georgia (V) Laos (V) Morocco (V) Tunisia (V)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Epoline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epoline) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epoline?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.