Accession of Lithuania to the European Patent Convention

After its entry into the European Union on May 1, 2004, Lithuania deposited its instrument of accession to the European Patent Convention (EPC).

According to the text of ratification, the EPC will enter into force in Lithuania on December 1, 2004.

Pursuant to the Co-operation and Extension Agreement between the European Patent Office and Lithuania, the Lithuanian patent protection system has been linked to the EPC for the last 10 years. However, it is not until now that Lithuania will take the Agreement one step further to become the 30th contracting state of the EPC.

With regard to the practical aspects of the accession, the European Patent extension system will continue to apply to all European and international applications filed prior to December 1, 2004. For European and international applications filed on or after December 1, 2004, the validation route will take place after the grant of the European Patent. Moreover, any international application filed on or after the accession date will include the designation of Lithuania for a European Patent, in addition to a national patent.

For more details on the validation of European Patents to Lithuania, please contact our Lithuania representative.