Every year, the WIPO provides a printable version of the Applicants Guide so that EQE candidates can take this information to the exam. Unfortunately, at 1800 pages, it adds considerably to the reference materials that most D candidates will bring with them and much of it is irrelevant for the EQE. In addition, the WIPO provides convenient overviews on their website which are not included in this official WIPO version.
Since 2007, I have produced this shortened version to lighten the load (and to save a few trees) – I leave out most of the national chapters, and concentrate on the states around which the EQE is based: the EPC countries, the EPO and the most used patent routes. Useful overviews have also been included, as well as additional information from the WIPO and EPO websites.
Unfortunately, the new layout of the WIPO web site has meant that some of the overviews now take up more pages. The current version is 820 pages, split into 3 parts. When printed double-sided, with 2 pages on each side of an A4, it will just fit into a 3.5cm binder.
New this year:
- Coverage of the top 20 DO/EO’s (increased from the top 12)
- Coverage of the top 15 RO’s (increased from the top 13)
- Some more details about the states not included (Part II – page 6 and Part III – page 12)
- Some explanation about reading the lists of states (Part II – page 4 and Part III – page 10)
- Addition of the Frequently-Asked-Questions about the America Invents Act (Part I – page 81)
- An additional overview of the EPO fees for PCT and Euro-PCT applications (Part III – page 153)
- An extra explanation and the list of states entitled to 75% fee reduction for the EPO as ISA or IPEA (Part III – page 158)
Part I - General (overviews)
Part II - International Phase
Part III - National Phase
Good luck at the exam
