Most European Patent Office (EPO) official fees will increase by approximately 5% from 1 April 2026, in what the EPO’s Administrative Council has referred to as a “5% biennial inflation-based adjustment of EPO fees”.  Some fees are however exempted from the increase with the filing fees, the opposition fee and the appeal fee remaining at current levels.  There is also no change in the renewal fees payable for European Patents with unitary effect (so called “unitary patents”).

Please note that the UK Intellectual Property Office is also set to increase the official fees for UK patents, designs and trade marks on 1 April 2026.

If you require any advice on how the EPO and/or UK fee increases will affect you or your IP portfolio, please contact Dehns.