Preparation for Paper M4 2027 courses offered as on-site and/or online training

Paper M4 will take place, for the first time, on 11 March 2027 and is intended for those candidates who fulfil the requirements to present themselves to this examination (see the new Regulation on the EQE; Supplementary publication 3 – OJ EPO 2024). Candidates must have performed at least three years of professional activity and usually must have passed paper F in order to take the new paper M4.

The preparation for paper M4 2027 consists in:

- a half-day methodology course in September 2026,

- a three-day main seminar in January 2027 (with its first half-day session being delivered online in September 2026),

- a mock exam course in February 2027.

Candidates wishing to prepare themselves for the new paper M4 are advised to enrol for all the above courses.

The one-day M4 methodology course is organized on 30 September 2026 afternoon and 6 November 2026 morning (two half-day sessions). This course is exclusively offered online.

The M4 methodology course is intended for candidates who intend to attend the subsequent M4 seminar. It aims to give the candidate a more in- depth knowledge, enabling them to efficiently and effectively prepare for Paper M4 on their own as early as possible and to raise them to the required level for the preparatory M4 seminar to be held in January 2027.

In the M4 methodology course, not only a presentation of the gist of Paper M4 and possible methods to address the paper are given (equal to the early introductory session of the M4 main preparatory seminar). Instead, the peculiarities of Paper M4 are elucidated in more depth using simplified educational M4 papers.

It is to be noted that participants are expected to have a sufficient knowledge of European patent law and the PCT as well as basic international patent law (as they should have in light of Paper M2 that may be written a year earlier than paper M4).

The course is offered in English, German and French language.

The main seminar preparing for paper M4 will take place from 14 to 16 January 2027, preceded by a half-day online session on 30 September a.m.

The January part of the seminar will be offered either as a "Strasbourg seminar" on-site 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 preference 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 Paper M4 of the EQE 2027 will also be offered as online training.

Participants are expected to have a sufficient knowledge of European and basic international patent law (as they should have in light of paper M4 that may be written a year earlier than M4).

The 3-day seminar comprises an early online introductory session on 30 September a.m. The introductory session, which is an integral part of the seminar, presents the gist of paper M4 and possible methods to address this paper. This basic introduction may be deepened by attending the M4 methodology course, where the basic introduction is in more depth using simplified educational M4 papers).  This offer is given to enable participants to prepare paper M4 on their own in a more efficient way.

The main part of the seminar aims to present candidates typical case constellations under the time constraints of the EQE. The seminar involves independent work under the tutors' supervision, plus discussion of the answers. Candidates thus learn and practise the difficulties involved with paper M4. It is to be noted that candidates should have prepared some M4 papers on their own before the main seminar using the knowledge given in the early introductory session.

The working texts for the seminar are based on training material prepared by the tutors. The seminar will also address some of the specificities of the e-EQE.

This seminar will be organised in the three official languages of the EPO  (German, English and French).

The mock exam course preparing for paper M4 2026 will take place on Wednesday 10 February 2027 a.m. It will exlusively be organised online.

Candidates wishing to test and improve their skills in respect of paper M4 are strongly advised to also enrol for this mock exam course. In this final course before the exam, candidates put themselves under examination conditions and write a paper M4 within the same time as available in the EQE examination and according to the format of this paper. The paper is corrected by a tutor. With the feedback of a tutor following afterwards and the possibility of putting last-minute questions, candidates will have a better idea of whether certain issues need closer study and/or which skills should be further trained. 
This concept has been developed over the recent years for papers F, M1 and M2, and previous papers A, B, C and D.

The course is offered in English, German and French language.

 

This module aims to offer participants specific personalised examination training before they sit the EQE and help them refine their methodology for solving the exam questions. Participants prepare one full  M4 paper and send it to CEIPI. They receive a customised correction of their paper by a CEIPI tutor together with the CEIPI model solution to that paper. Candidates can choose among four possible dates before the EQE to submit their paper for correction.

Please contact Ms. Cynthia Jehl to obtain the corresponding registration forms: cynthia.jehl@ceipi.edu

See our complete price offer for 2026-2027

Please note that early enrolment is advisable.

For organisational 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 dates for the submission of applications:

For the Methodology course M4: 4 September 2026

• Enrolment fees: 650 €

For the main seminar M4:  4 September 2026

• Enrolment fees: 1 250 €

For the mock exam course M4: 8 January 2027

• Enrolment fees: 800 €

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.