New procedure for registering changes to European patents in the Netherlands

On 18 November 2025, the Netherlands Patent Office published a Dutch news item about the registration of a change of owner from a European patent (EP-NL). This topic was discussed in detail during the regular consultation with formalities officers on 27 November 2025. 

The grant date of the European patent determines how it will be processed by the Netherlands Patent Office. Below is a summary of the discussion and the rules that will become effective on 1 April 2026.

• During the application process, the decisions of the European Patent Office (EPO) are decisive. Decisions taken before the date of grant of the patent are adopted by the Netherlands Patent Office. 

  Before grant, the European Patent Convention (EPC) is in force. Upon request, the EPO will also issue a new B publication, in which the EPO will grant the patent under the correct name. The EPO acknowledges that the patent should have been granted to someone else. Article 72 EPC applies and the EPO has checked the request for modification. The Netherlands Patent Office will not reassess this. 

• Once a European patent has been granted, national law applies. 

  In such cases, the EPO does not issue a new B publication. After all, the patent has already been granted and is registered in the Netherlands patent register as an EP-NL patent. For the registration of a change to these patents, Article 65(1) of the ROW applies (based on Article 2(2) of the EPC). The Netherlands Patent Office will assess the request for change.

What does this mean in practice?

• From 1 April 2026, the Netherlands Patent Office will process all changes to European patents by means of a request for change.
• For all changes, both prior to and after the European patent has been granted, you have to pay the fee for registering a change in the Netherlands Patent Register.
• If you have submitted a transfer or change of the owners name to the EPO before grant, the Netherlands Patent Office will accept the EPO's decision. You can send the EPO form 2544 to the Netherlands Patent Office for registration in the Netherlands patent register.
• The Netherlands Patent Office will not accept an EPO form 2544 for which the EPO's processing date is after the grant of the European patent. The Dutch guidelines leidraad inschrijvingen in het register specify what information you must provide and what fee you must pay.

How do you submit this request for change? 

• Do not send an EPO form along with the translation, but send a separate request to register the change and pay the fee at the same time.
• Depending on the date of the decision from the EPO you can use EPO form 2544.
• Submit this request for change after validation of the European patent.
• You can submit this request by letter or through Online Filing. In that case, use the “subsequent actions” form in the EP procedure.

These rules are applicable for all request the Netherlands Patent Office will receive from 1 april 2026 onwards.