CEIPI is pleased to announce that the seminar preparing for the EQE Foundation paper 2027 will be organized as classroom training and also be availaible online. The Foundation paper, also referred to as paper F, was first examined in 2025.
Presentation of the seminar
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 of candidates having attended the CEIPI preparation courses is very high, and mostly higher than the pass rate of other candidates.
The EQE Foundation Paper (Paper F) is scheduled for Monday 1 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; 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 core seminar to help candidates in preparing themselves for that Foundation Paper.
This seminar will take place from 16 to 20 November 2026. It is preceded by a one-day online methodology course on 21 September and supplemented by an online session on Monday 30 November in the afternoon dedicated to the correction of the mock exam F that the participants will have written individually before this date, following the seminar.
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.
As mentioned above, the seminar includes a compulsory one-day online methodology course on 21 September 2026, focusing on the theoretical aspects of the claim analysis.
In the week following the Foundation Paper seminar participants will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge in an online mock examination. On Monday 30 November, the answers will be discussed in an afternoon online session.
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.
The Foundation Paper seminar will be held in all three official languages of the EPO (English, French and German).
The participants can complete the seminar F training by enrolling for the online mock exam course offered on 4 and 5 February 2027.
Programme of the 2026 seminar
Presentation of the mock exam course
To complete the seminar for the Foundation Paper of the EQE 2027, CEIPI offers a "mock exam" course to candidates wishing to improve their skills in respect of this paper. In this course, candidates put themselves under examination conditions and write two Foundation Papers within the same time as available in the examination.
This concept has been developed over the recent years for the main examination and CEIPI considers it worthwhile to also apply it to the Foundation Paper.
The aim of the course is to give the candidates the possibility, close to but also sufficiently in advance of the EQE 2027, to exercice their skills in sitting two papers under examination conditions. 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. The two-day mock exam course will take place online on 4 and 5 February 2027, for French, German and English-speaking candidates. The course is offered in English, German and French language.
The course is open only for candidates who have enrolled for the Foundation Paper 2027.
Programme of the 2027 mock exam course (to follow) - Below the 2026 programme for your information
Enrolment
See our complete price offer for 2026-2027.
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: 11 September 2026 for the seminar and 8 January 2027 for the mock exam course.
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.