The June 2001 meeting of the Administrative Council of the European Patent Convention adopted two changes of significance to those who use the Patent Cooperation Treaty as a step towards the grant of European patents.

First the EPO will renegotiate its agreement with the World Intellectual Property Organization so as to limit the use of the EPO as a search authority and examination authority for International Patent Applications filed by applicants from countries that are not members of the European Patent Convention.

Secondly, the EPO will, with effect from January 2, 2002, permit entry into the European Regional phase of PCT for a period of thirty-one months from the earliest priority date claimed for the application irrespective of whether a demand for International Preliminary Examination has been made.