Main seminar course offered as on-site or online training

CEIPI is pleased to announce that the seminar preparing for the EQE Foundation paper 2026 will be organized as classroom training and also be availaible online.  The Foundation paper replaces the pre-examination paper since 2025.

The Centre for International Intellectual Property Studies (CEIPI) is known for its courses adapted to prepare candidates for the European Qualifying Examination (EQE), increasing their chances of success. Long years’ statistics show that the pass rate on the EQE pre-examination of candidates having attended the CEIPI preparation courses is very high, and mostly higher than the pass rate of other candidates. It is expected that similar effects are associated with the new Foundation Paper course.

The EQE Foundation Paper (Paper F) is scheduled for Monday 2 March 2026 and is intended for those candidates who fulfil the requirements to present themselves to this examination (see the new Regulation on the EQE; OJ EPO 2024, A4). Particularly, candidates can sit Paper F after at least 12 months of professional training.

The objective of Paper F is to assess whether a candidate can apply the legal concepts and provisions of the EPC and the PCT. It consists of two parts of two hours each. Part 1 assesses whether the candidate understands the procedural requirements and steps of the EPC proceedings and the PCT proceedings and is able to apply these concepts. Part 2 assesses whether the candidate can interprete the claims and assess their compliance with the provisions of the EPC, as well as whether the candidate can assess the compliance of proposed amendments with the provisions of the EPC.

Paper F may comprise different types of questions, such as multiple choice questions, true/false questions, drag and drop questions, questions requiring a fill-in answer, questions requiring highlighting of relevant passages of text, and questions requiring supervised free text answers.

CEIPI is organizing a seminar to help candidates in preparing themselves for that Foundation Paper.

This seminar will take place from 13 to 17 October 2025. The 2025 programme is not yet available, but you will find the 2024 programme here.

The Paper F seminar will be offered either as a "Strasbourg seminar" or remotely. Experience has shown that the on-site training format prepares candidates most efficiently for the examination, because it facilitates intense communication between tutors and participants and among the course participants. The CEIPI therefore recommends to give priority to the on-site training format. However, in order to also prepare those candidates for the EQE who cannot attend the on-site seminar, this course preparing for the EQE Foundation Paper will also be offered as online training.

Participants are expected to have a sound working knowledge of patent law. The teaching material will be designed in accordance with presently available information with regard to the expected style of the Foundation Paper, and will take into account the different types of questions.

The Paper F seminar will cover the following topics:

(a) Legal questions relating to the candidates' knowledge of the relevant provisions, including the EPC, the Implementing Regulations to the EPC, the Rules relating to Fees, the PCT, the Regulations under the PCT, the PCT Applicant’s Guide, the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, the Guidelines for Examination in the EPO, and the Guidelines for Search and Examination at the EPO as PCT Authority.

(b) Questions on the interpretation of claims, on assessing the compliance of claims and of the invention to which they pertain with the provisions of the EPC, and on assessing the compliance of proposed amendments with the provisions of the EPC.

During the Foundation Paper seminar participants will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in a short mock examination.

The Foundation Paper seminar will be held in all three official languages of the EPO (English, French and German).

In addition to the above courses, the CEIPI will organize soon a Wiseflow webinar for registered course participants, which provides practical information on the online examination and its special features on the Wiseflow platform and offers the opportunity to ask questions. The Wiseflow webinar is included in the course fee. It will take place on Monday 6 October 2025, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm.

See our complete price offer for 2025-2026

Please note that early enrolment is advisable.

For organizational reasons, the number of participants has to be limited. Applications will be treated on a first come, first served basis. If the seminars are oversubscribed, names will be put on a waiting list.

Closing date for receipt of all applications: 26 September 2025.

Enrolment form