European Patent
The European patent is granted by the European Patent Office and also has a term of up to 20 years. The particular feature of the European patent is that it is granted centrally by ONE patent office, i.e. the European Patent Office located in Munich, and has effect at the present time for up to 38 countries which have together decided to recognize this uniform patent.
Many birds with one stone - the European Patent
The European Patent is therefore granted centrally and is valid after granting like a nationally granted patent in each of the individual countries. The patent proprietor therefore obtains, as it were, a large number of nationally granted patents and specifically with only one application process and examination process which leads to a central grant of patent. Nevertheless the patent proprietor still has control over the countries in which he would like to maintain his centrally granted European Patent, for example, those in which he would like to use the patent economically.
An overview of the countries in which a European Patent can be valid is found here.
The European Patent must also be maintained in a time-limited manner after granting by appropriate extensions in the countries in which the patent proprietor would like to maintain his patent.
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