Requirements for validating patents

A European patent can either take the form of a regional patent or a set of national patents (validated European patents). In the latter case, you will need to confirm with the national patent office in each of the countries of your choice that you wish your European patent to be valid in. In Sweden, the proper authority is PRV.

In order to validate your European patent in Sweden, you must:

• Translate the patent claims into Swedish and file the translation with us.
• Provide us with the European patent number, as well as the name and address of the patent holder.
• Pay a publication fee.
• If the patent was granted in German or French, you will also have to attach a translation of the description into Swedish or English.

You are required to do all of this within a three-month period of the EPO granting the patent (or, where unitary effect has been rejected, within three months of the deadline to appeal).

Once you have validated the patent in Sweden, it will have the same effect as if it had been granted here. This means, for instance, that you will have to pay annual fees to PRV in order to maintain the patent.

Annual fees for validated patents

Annual fees for validated European patents must be paid to the PRV for each fee year starting after the EPO has issued the patent. However, the first annual fee never needs to be paid before three months have passed from the day the patent was granted. The first two years after the filing date are free of charge, regardless of whether the patent has been granted or not. By using the Swedish Patent Database, you can check when and how much you have to pay in annual fees for your validated EP patent.