In December 2022, the EPO introduced a new examination intended for paralegals, patent administrators and formalities officers. Leading to the European patent administration certification (EPAC), this examination focuses on procedural aspects under the EPC, the PCT and the Paris Convention as well as national laws and other agreements, in so far as they apply to European patents and patent applications, including the London agreement, and meanwhile also the UPC. The examination shall allow candidates to demonstrate by an official validation their professional knowledge and skills.
The 2026 edition of this examination will take place in the autumn of 2026. It will be organized online and for the first time it will be in a modular set-up. Candidates can enroll for the examination after having created their personal profile on the EQC portal of the EPO. The EPO has announced information about the enrolment period to be published on their dedicated EPAC website in Spring 2026. It is recommended to check the EPO EPAC website regularly.
The exact form of the examination and of the (types of) questions has not yet been published. Candidates must expect to answer any questions on the various patenting routes and application procedures and the procedural, administrative and formalities-related tasks involved. The questions are most likely in auto-correctible form.
The online EPAC exam will be using the WiseFlow platform. It is an open book exam, wherein the WiseFlow platform allows candidates to have restricted access to the EPO and PCT websites. It is not allowed to make use of other electronic material. Candidates may however have with them any books and documents they consider useful for answering the examination papers.
Prior to the examination, the EPAC board is organizing technical tests (dates to be published by the EPO), where candidates can experience exam conditions. In addition, the WiseFlow environment can be tested using past exams It is very important to get familiar with the WiseFlow platform so that candidates will know what information is electronically available and what material must be available in paper form and even be prepared.
Detailed information about the EPAC examination is available on the EPO homepage.
EPAC syllabus
CEIPI will offer, from April to late September 2026, a training preparing candidates for the EPAC. This training is preferably be taken in addition to and following the Learning Path offered on the dedicated EPAC website. Building on our expertise in organizing, during several years, professional training for EPO formalities taking a similar examination, the CEIPI EPAC course will cover the EPAC syllabus and help candidates to prepare themselves successfully for this examination.
The CEIPI training for the EPAC 2026 can perfectly be combined with and does complement the said EPO Academy online Learning Path preparing for this examination.
The CEIPI EPAC course will be organised online in English and French language and last four days. An additional German course could be offered in case of a sufficient number of enrolments. The course will be offered in the following format:
- six half-day morning sessions on Monday 13 April, Monday 20 April, Monday 11 May, Monday 1 June, Monday 15 June and Monday 29 June 2026, completed by a full-day Q&A session in automn 2026, wherein past examination papers will also be discussed.
N.B. : The above schedule is perfectly compatible with the dates of the EPO Academy Learning path, so that participants can attend both training offers.
CONTENT AND STRUCTURE OF THE CEIPI COURSE
The EPAC course is offered on the basis of 6 half-day substantive teaching sessions, consisting of general presentations and exercises covering the following topics (not necessarily in the sketched order):
- the background of the patent system, the aim of patents, the criteria for patentability, patenting systems and the hierarchy therein, the priority concept, the PCT system and the International Bureau, the EPC system and the EPO
- filing a PCT application and filing a (direct) European application including the requirements of obtaining a filing date and the formal requirements,
- search and publication and filing divisional applications,
- entry in the national and regional phase after PCT and, especially, entry into the European phase.
- international preliminary examination and examination in the EPO,
- post-grant procedures (oppositions, limitations and revocations), national validation, UPC and appeal procedures.
The above sessions are completed by a one-day Question and Answer session, wherein past examination papers are also discussed.
This CEIPI training specifically preparing for the EPAC/CEAB is in line with the Certificate of Patent Assistant (CAB) delivered by INPI, and is therefore particularly aimed at holders of the INPI's CAB.
Download the programme of the 2026 EPAC training
THE TUTORS
The EPAC course is taught by experienced CEIPI tutors, all of them being European patent attorneys and working in private practice.
Harrie Marsman
Harrie graduated in chemistry. He is registered as Dutch patent attorney and as European professional representative. Harrie has gained particularly expert knowledge in the formal aspects of the Patent Cooperation Treaty and the European Patent Convention, and has considerable experience in dealing with oppositions before the European Patent Office.
For long years, Harrie is a CEIPI tutor for Papers A and B of the EQE and for the Pre-Exam / Paper F. Additionally, he is a tutor in the CEIPI basic course, assisting, a.o., EPO Examiners (Rijswijk) in the preparation for the European Qualification Examination, and he is responsible for the practical exams chemistry in the national Dutch Qualification Examination.
Harrie is author of the A- and B-book and coordinator of the CEIPI courses preparing for the former pre-examination and now for paper F.
Thomas L. Lederer
Thomas is a German and European Patent Attorney working at DHS Patentanwalts GmbH in Munich.
He studied at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and the Technische Universität Berlin, and is one of the very few German Patent Attorneys with a degree in Computer Science (Diplom-Informatiker Univ., LMU Munich). Being a computer scientist, he is specialized in patents for artificial intelligence and computer-implemented inventions.
In IP since 2007, he worked as inhouse counsel and in law firms. In addition to serving as CEIPI tutor for the EQE and EPAC courses, he is also one of the co-authors of the KLEY EPÜ 2000 compendium.
Matthieu Objois
Matthieu graduated as an engineer in applied mathematics and robotics at the Ecole des Mines de Paris (France) in 2009. After 13 years as a patent attorney in Regimbeau in Paris then Lyon, where he gained experience in prosecution and litigation cases, especially in the field of information technology, he joined Germain Maureau in 2022 and he is now specialized in AI-related inventions. He became a partner in 2025.
He qualified as a French Patent Attorney in 2012 and as a European Patent Attorney in 2013 after passing the first pre-examination. He completed a Master in Intellectual Property Law in 2017.
Information questionnaire
Enrolment
Enrolment fees: 1600 €
Deadline for registration: Tuesday 24 March 2026
The below registration form must be completed and returned by email to CEIPI with the documents indicated.
You will then receive an agreement, which must be signed and returned to us in order for your enrolment to be confirmed.
Registration form