The European Patent Office grants patents for a large number of countries, including non-EU countries, in a centralized granting procedure.

European patent applications can be filed in German, English, or French. The procedure is also conducted in these languages.

European patents, on the other hand, have the same version in all countries after they are granted.

After the search report, the applicant decides whether to continue the examination procedure and pay the examination fees.

After grant, a European patent must be validated in the states.

Enforcement, invalidity proceedings, and annual fees are handled separately in each country.

An opposition to a European patent can be filed centrally with the EPO within nine months. If the opposition is successful, the patent is restricted or revoked centrally, i.e. for all states.

European patent applications can serve as both initial and subsequent applications with priority. International applications can also be converted into a European patent application (Euro-PCT application).

The first page shows the filing date, priorities, and contracting states of the European patent at the time of patent grant.

Since 2023, the unitary patent has enabled a unitary property right in several EU states that is no longer divided into national patents. Enforcement is carried out through a separate court system.