Important notice from UKIPO: action needed to continue using EPO online filing

European Patent Office (EPO) smart cards will expire soon. The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has updated its information on GOV.UK with specific details on what actions customers need to take and when.

After September 30, 2024, customers will no longer be able to renew eOLF Smart Cards that have expired.

To continue filing with the UKIPO via eOLF, customers will need to replace their smart card with a ‘soft certificate.’

From January 1, 2025, valid smart cards will no longer be supported by the EPO.

Customers will need to go through the following steps to continue using eOLF for UK patent filings:

1. Request your soft certificate by emailing eOLFSoftCert@ipo.gov.uk from October 1, 2024. You will need to provide your name, organization, email address, and the expiry date of your smart card (if you have one already)
2. Install the soft certificate provided on your device
3. Enroll your soft certificate on the how to file page of the IPO website.

Customers whose smart card is due to expire before September 30, 2024, are requested to renew their smart cards as usual. Smart cards and soft certificates can be used in parallel until the end of the year.

A UKIPO Spokesperson said: “We’ve issued an important update to our guidance for customers who wish to continue using EPO online filing.  The updated guidance explains the actions customers will need to take in the coming weeks – particularly eOLF customers whose EPO Smart Card expires from October.  We will start accepting requests for soft certificates from October 1, 2024, and will also inform our customers of the exact date eOLF will be disabled for UK patent applications well in advance of it happening.”

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