Tuesday, March 05, 2024 D1 2024: a 14-mark question to start with!

One of us sat the D paper today as a benchmarker and made some notes on the D1 paper that we share below. Note that these are just a few brief notes, and have not been reviewed yet by colleague tutor. We will post more extensive answers later, after our internal review. 

Today's D1 was again worth a total of 55 marks, distributed over 2 parts with a 30 minute break in between:

• D1-1 had only 2 questions, for a total of 26 marks, and had to be done from 9:30-11:05. 
• D1-2 also had 3 questions, for a total of 29 marks, and had to be done from 11:35-13:20.

Monday, August 14, 2023 EQE 2024 exam schedule now available: Paper D

The "Information on the schedule for the EQE 2024 examination papers" (dated 27 July 2023) is now available on the EQE website. 

The EQE 2024 will take place online using the examination software Wiseflow, with substantially the same setup as the e-EQE/Online EQE of 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Paper D 2024 is split into three parts: 

1. a first D1 part of two questions and 26 marks (1 h 35 min),
2. a second D1 part of three questions and 29 marks (1 h 45 min), and
3. a D2 part of 45 marks (2 h 40 min)

Once the time allowed for a part has elapsed, it will not be possible to go back to that part.

Note that the D1:D2 ratio is again 55:45, with more than half of the marks available for D1 and less than half for D2, so the D paper again has the emphasis on the legal questions (See here). As the first D1 part has 26 marks for only two questions, at least one of the D1 questions will be at least 13 marks and longer than ever before (D 2023 included an 11-mark question)!

W.r.t. D2, note a minor change compared to D 2023: the 45-mark D2 part now has 2 h 40 min, whereas it had 2 h 45 min in 2023 - the 5 minutes seem to have been allocated to the first D1 part.

Each part must be completed before the start of the next break, with the next part only becoming available after the break. Paper D lasts six hours.

No calendars will be provided (see here). No documents will be available for printing.

Further, in view of the amendments to Rule 126(2)/127(2)/131(2) EPC per 1 November 2023 (1 day after the legal cutoff date acc IPREE, i.e., 31 October 2023), refer to: this blog post

(Note that that the document may be subject to minor changes as testing continues. Please check the EQE website for updates)

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Monday, July 03, 2023 D 2024: No 10 days anymore - unless you really want to (or stick to the version as defined in the REE/IPREE)!!!

The Supervisory Board of the EQE issued a decision on "Notification and time limit calculation" dated 26 June 2023:

"1. Candidates sitting the EQE 2024 (pre-examination and main examination) can use as legal basis Rules 126, 127 and 131 EPC as in force on 31 October 2023 or Rules 126, 127 and 131 EPC as in force on 1 November 2023.

2. In the main exam papers, the default Rules 126, 127 and 131 EPC to be applied are those in force on 1 November 2023. If the candidate chooses to apply Rules 126, 127 and 131 EPC as in force on 31 October 2023, this must be clearly indicated.

3. Candidate papers will be marked accordingly."

So when calculating time limits during Paper D 2024 that run from the (fictitious) date of notification of a document, you are free to use:

• either the current "10-day rule" for deemed notification (with true date of receipt if received later) according to current Rule 126(2)/127(2) (as in force until 31/10/2023 in line with Rules 2 & 22 IPREE) - in which case you need to indicate that you use the version as in force in 31/10/2023; Guidelines E-II, 2.3 and 2.4

• or the new PCT-like version (as in force from 1/11/2023) with deemed notification on date of dispatch/date of the document and a compensation for receipt later than 7 days (OJ 2022, A101, article 1(10)-(12); OJ 2022, A114, section IV; and OJ 2023, A29; also Guidelines E-II, 2.3 and 2.4) - in this case, you do not need to indicate that you use the new version (despite it deviating from Rule 2 & 22 IPREE).

Our Q&A books "Basic Legal Questions for Pre-Exam and Paper D" and "Main Exam Questions for Paper D" provide time limit calculations for both versions of R.126(2)/127(2) for (almost) all questions involving time limits calculated from the notification of a document.