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Member states of the European Patent Organisation
Contracting states
Extension states
States invited to accede to the EPC
Contracting states
The following states are currently members of the European Patent Organisation.
See a map (JPG, 52 KB) with the contracting states.
| Code | Member state |
Since |
|---|---|---|
| AT | Austria |
1 May 1979 |
| BE |
Belgium |
7 October 1977 |
| BG |
Bulgaria |
1 July 2002 |
| CH | Switzerland |
7 October 1977 |
| CY | Cyprus |
1 April 1998 |
| CZ |
Czech Republic |
1 July 2002 |
| DE |
Germany |
7 October 1977 |
| DK |
Denmark |
1 January 1990 |
| EE |
Estonia |
1 July 2002 |
| ES |
Spain |
1 October 1986 |
| FI |
Finland |
1 March 1996 |
| FR |
France |
7 October 1977 |
| GB |
United Kingdom |
7 October 1977 |
| GR |
Greece |
1 October 1986 |
| HR |
Croatia |
1 January 2008 |
| HU |
Hungary |
1 January 2003 |
| IE |
Ireland |
1 August 1992 |
| IS |
Iceland |
1 November 2004 |
| IT |
Italy |
1 December 1978 |
| LI |
Liechtenstein |
1 April 1980 |
| LT |
Lithuania |
1 December 2004 |
| LU |
Luxembourg |
7 October 1977 |
| LV | Latvia |
1 July 2005 |
| MC |
Monaco |
1 December 1991 |
| MT | Malta |
1 March 2007 |
| NL |
Netherlands |
7 October 1977 |
| NO |
Norway |
1 January 2008 |
| PL |
Poland |
1 March 2004 |
| PT |
Portugal |
1 January 1992 |
| RO |
Romania |
1 March 2003 |
| SE |
Sweden |
1 May 1978 |
| SI |
Slovenia |
1 December 2002 |
| SK |
Slovakia |
1 July 2002 |
| TR |
Turkey |
1 November 2000 |
Extension states
States recognising European patents upon requestAL Albania
BA Bosnia and Herzegovina
MK the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
RS Serbia (legal successor of the former State Union of Serbia and Montenegro into the Co-operation and Extension Agreement)
States invited to accede to the EPC
States which have been invited to accede to the EPCAL Albania
MK the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
RS Serbia
SM San Marino