Section 2: International applications

The international application may be filed at the headquarters of the National Institute of Industrial Property or sent there by post or by any means of teletransmission under the conditions defined by decision of its Director General. The filing date shall be the date of receipt of the application at the headquarters of the Institute. The filing may be made by the applicant personally or by an agent. The provisions…

The international application shall be drawn up in the French language. If it is not filed in electronic form, the application shall be filed in three copies, together with each of the documents mentioned in the schedule referred to in Rule 3, paragraph 3, letter a (ii) of the Regulations under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. However, the request referred to in the aforementioned Rule 3, paragraph 1, and the documents…

A receipt, showing at least the number assigned to the international application, the nature and number of the application documents, and their receipt, shall be issued to the applicant.

With the exception of Article R. 612-31, the provisions set out in articles R. 612-26 to R. 612-32 are, taking into account the provisions of Articles L. 614-20 to L. 614-22, applicable to international applications filed with the Institut national de la propriété industrielle.

The filing of an international application gives rise to payment of the transmittal fee provided for in Rule 14 of the Regulations under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. This fee must be paid before the expiry of the period of one month from the date of receipt of the international application.

The international filing fee and the search fee provided for in Rules 15 and 16 of the Regulations under the Patent Cooperation Treaty must be paid before the expiry of a period of one month from the date of receipt of the international application. The international filing fee and the search fee shall be paid in euros.

Where payment of the transmittal fee, the search fee and the international filing fee has not been made within the time limits set in Articles R. 614-26 and R. 614-27, the applicant is invited to pay the amount of the said fees within one month, plus the fee for late payment provided for in Rule 16 bis 1 (a and b) of the Implementing Regulations of the Patent Cooperation Treaty….

If the international application and the other documents referred to in article R. 614-23 are filed in a number of copies lower than that set by the said article, a fee is charged for the preparation of the required number of copies. The fee must be paid before the expiry of a period of one month from the date of notification to this effect. .

The transmittal fee referred to in Article R. 614-26 shall be returned to the applicant where the international application has not been transmitted to the International Bureau within the time limit prescribed by Rule 22(3) of the Regulations under the Patent Cooperation Treaty.

Payment of the taxes and royalties provided for in articles R. 614-26 to R. 614-32 is in full discharge of liability if it is paid at the rate in force on the day of payment.