Patent validation
The post-grant step that turns a granted European patent into a national patent in each chosen EPO member state.
Patent validation is the post-grant step that converts a granted European patent into a bundle of national patents in each chosen EPO member state. Within a short deadline after grant (typically three months), the patentee must file the required translations and pay the national fees in every country where protection is wanted. Without timely validation in a given country, the European patent has no legal effect there.
Validation costs — translations and fees — vary widely by country and represent a significant share of the total cost of a European patent. The London Agreement reduces translation requirements for participating states.
The Unitary Patent now offers an alternative path: a single right with unitary effect across participating EU member states, without per-country validation steps.