{"id":53564,"date":"2026-01-27T15:59:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T14:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/?p=53564"},"modified":"2026-01-27T15:59:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T14:59:00","slug":"key-updates-on-third-party-observations-inquiry-and-pace-effective-1-february-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/key-updates-on-third-party-observations-inquiry-and-pace-effective-1-february-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Key Updates on Third-Party Observations, Inquiry, and PACE (Effective 1 February 2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"
Third-Party Observation<\/strong>s<\/span>
The<\/span> EPO<\/span> has<\/span> introduced<\/span> a<\/span> renewed<\/span> online<\/span> form<\/span> and<\/span> clarified<\/span> the<\/span> procedural<\/span> practice<\/span> concerning<\/span> third-party <\/span>observations.<\/span>
Our<\/span> firm<\/span> is<\/span> already<\/span> operating<\/span> in<\/span> accordance<\/span> with<\/span> these<\/span> practices,<\/span> and<\/span> no<\/span> procedural<\/span> changes<\/span> are<\/span> required<\/span> on<\/span> our <\/span>side.<\/span>
For<\/span> further<\/span> details<\/span> on<\/span> third-party<\/span> observations<\/span> before<\/span> the<\/span> EPO,<\/span> please<\/span> also<\/span> refer<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> article<\/span> available<\/span> on<\/span> our<\/span>
website<\/span> by<\/span> clicking<\/span> here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/div>\n

Inquiry (Status Enquiries on Pending Applications)<\/span><\/strong>
From<\/span> 1<\/span> February<\/span> 2026,<\/span> the<\/span> requirements<\/span> for<\/span> filing<\/span> an<\/span> Inquiry<\/span> will<\/span> become<\/span> stricter. <\/span>An<\/span> Inquiry<\/span> concerns<\/span> a<\/span> request<\/span> for<\/span> status<\/span> information<\/span> on<\/span> a<\/span> pending<\/span> application;<\/span> however,<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> following<\/span> special <\/span>cases,<\/span> the<\/span> procedure<\/span> will<\/span> automatically<\/span> result<\/span> in<\/span> accelerated<\/span> examination:<\/span>
The<\/span> application<\/span> is<\/span> already<\/span> under<\/span> PACE;<\/span> or<\/span>
An<\/span> Inquiry<\/span> was<\/span> previously<\/span> filed,<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> EPO<\/span> did<\/span> not<\/span> issue<\/span> an<\/span> office<\/span> action<\/span> within<\/span> the<\/span> timeframe<\/span> previously<\/span>
indicated<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> Office.<\/span>
In<\/span> such<\/span> cases,<\/span> the<\/span> EPO<\/span> must<\/span> issue<\/span> the<\/span> next<\/span> office<\/span> action<\/span> within<\/span> one<\/span> month<\/span> from<\/span> receipt<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> Inquiry.<\/span><\/div>\n

PACE (Programme for Accelerated Prosecution)<\/span><\/strong>
PACE<\/span> requests<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> search<\/span> stage<\/span> will<\/span> be<\/span> discontinued,<\/span> and<\/span> PACE<\/span> requests<\/span> may<\/span> be<\/span> filed<\/span> only<\/span> during<\/span> the<\/span>
examination<\/span> stage<\/span> (one<\/span> request<\/span> per<\/span> application).<\/span>
Any<\/span> request<\/span> for<\/span> extension<\/span> of<\/span> time<\/span> limits,<\/span> withdrawal,<\/span> refusal,<\/span> deemed<\/span> withdrawal,<\/span> or<\/span> non-payment<\/span> of<\/span> renewal<\/span> fees<\/span>
will<\/span> result<\/span> in<\/span> automatic<\/span> removal<\/span> from<\/span> PACE<\/span> (with<\/span> no<\/span> possibility<\/span> of<\/span> reinstatement).<\/span>
While<\/span> under<\/span> PACE,<\/span> the<\/span> EPO<\/span> aims<\/span> to<\/span> issue<\/span> the<\/span> next<\/span> office<\/span> action<\/span> within<\/span> approximately<\/span> three<\/span> months.<\/span>
Applicants<\/span> who<\/span> systematically<\/span> file<\/span> numerous<\/span> PACE<\/span> requests<\/span> may<\/span> be<\/span> required<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> EPO<\/span> to<\/span> limit<\/span> the<\/span> number<\/span> of<\/span>
such<\/span> requests.<\/span><\/div>\n

We<\/span> will<\/span> monitor<\/span> to<\/span> what<\/span> extent<\/span> the<\/span> EPO<\/span> will<\/span> strictly<\/span> apply<\/span> this<\/span> rule,<\/span> and<\/span> if<\/span> necessary,<\/span> we<\/span> will<\/span> propose<\/span> and<\/span> follow<\/span> up<\/span>
with<\/span> the<\/span> appropriate<\/span> course<\/span> of<\/span> action. <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Should<\/span>\u00a0you<\/span>\u00a0have<\/span>\u00a0any<\/span>\u00a0further<\/span>\u00a0questions,<\/span>\u00a0please<\/span>\u00a0feel<\/span>\u00a0free<\/span>\u00a0to<\/span>\u00a0contact<\/span>\u00a0us<\/span>\u00a0at<\/span>\u00a0any<\/span>\u00a0time.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Third-Party ObservationsThe EPO has introduced a renewed online form and clarified the procedural practice concerning third-party observations.Our firm is already […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[116],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-53564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53564"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53564\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":53570,"href":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53564\/revisions\/53570"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.studiotorta.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}