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Important notice of 31 March 2023

IP applications: EPO filing tool eOLF to be decommissioned – DPMA recommends switching to DPMAdirektPro

For many years, the German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) and the European Patent Office (EPO) have been maintaining a trusting cooperation in the field of electronic patent filing. In this context, our users had the possibility to also file German patent applications and PCT applications with Germany (DE) as receiving office at the DPMA using the EPO's online filing system eOLF (Electronic Online Filing).

Even though the system has worked well, eOLF is based on an outdated technology which requires a lot of maintenance. For this reason, the EPO and the national offices/EPO member states will decommission eOLF in close coordination. This type of online filing will thus no longer be available for applications at the DPMA in the near future. The DPMA will not participate in the new Front Office Project of the EPO, which is to replace eOLF, because with DPMAdirektPro, we have our own sophisticated system that is constantly being further developed. In contrast to Front Office, DPMAdirektPro also covers all types of IP rights (patents, utility models, trade marks, designs) and enables electronic documents to be sent from the office back to users. We therefore recommend all active eOLF users to switch to the DPMA's filing tool DPMAdirektPro in time.

We always strive to offer our customers the best possible services. With DPMAdirektPro you can file applications and perform other procedural actions for all four IP rights. You also have the option to register for electronic dispatch and to electronically receive documents from the DPMA. Our system will support you in effectively protecting your IP rights in the future, too. If you have any questions or need assistance, our Customer Care and Services will be pleased to help you.

Last updated: 11 November 2024