EQE - exam advice, e-EQE environment

During the exams, only LIMITED ONLINE ACCESS will be available. NO DIGITAL COPIES of references will be available on your computer, and you CANNOT OPEN ANY DOCUMENTS or CALENDARS on your computer during the exam. So, you will need to print references and CALENDARS yourself before the exam. WISEflow allows access via the Permitted Internet Resources menu (previously called External Resources) to EPO Legal Texts (En / Ge / Fr) and PCT APPLICANT’s Guide (En / Fr) only.

1. EPO Legal Texts opens in a new tab to: >www.epo.org >Law & practice >Legal texts
   • This is the public EPO website, so the info is valid on the day of the exam. This agrees with the announced EPAC cut-off date in the marking rules.
   • Before the exam, practice using the Advanced website search (in html pages): Home >Search
     • link is on EPO home page and at bottom right on Legal Texts page
     • search can be limited to specific language and specific legal texts
2. PCT APPLICANT’S GUIDE opens in a new tab to www.wipo.int/pct/en/guide >EQE Candidates
   • This is a special version of the Applicants Guide made for EQE, valid on 31 Oct 2022
   • It is not possible to browse to the rest of the WIPO website www.wipo.int
   • The home page includes links at the top to html versions of the Introduction to the International Phase and the National Phase, and a long list of links to html pages with all the annexes for each PCT state. Each Introduction and each State opens in a new tab.
   • Get used to scrolling down through long html pages. Each page includes “jump down” links at the top and a “jump to top” arrow on the bottom-right. See below for keyboard shortcuts that can be used.
3. CALENDARS are NOT PROVIDED with the exam, so PRINT them.
   • Although you have access to the EPO closing day notices, there is no overview of weekends available. You also cannot use the calendar on your computer during the exam.
   • We have made a set of Exam Calendars available, including the closing days from the EPO, as well as some guidance about using them and calculating time limits.
   • For EQE 2023, you need calendars of 2021, 2022, 2022. I have not found any instructions for EPAC, so I have also included 2020 to be safe.

Test your access during the mocks – some firewalls block access, so you may need to whitelist the www.epo.org and pctlegal.wipo.int domains BEFORE the exam. Practice navigating these sites in WISEflow because common functions are restricted:

• Browser access is limited to html pages and small pdf-s, such as OJEPO notices. Large pdf-s resources, like Guidelines, cannot be opened.
• Each pdf and html page opens in a NEW TAB, but the total number of tabs is limited by your screen size
• No browser bookmarks will be available or importable. There is no address bar, so urls are not visible and cannot be typed. Before the exam, get used to finding resources from the relevant home pages. Note the paths to critical references.
• No annotation or highlighting is possible of the html pages and pdf-s. It is possible to copy/paste is available into your answer, but that this DOES NOT get marks. Marks are available for APPLYING the law. Just copying in legal texts is no different to a  reference
• Common browser shortcuts that don’t work in WISEflow: CTRL+SHIFT+T, CTRL+T, CTRL+TAB (it just increases indents in your answer), RIGHT MOUSE BUTTON, CTRL+E/F/K (no search function in html or pdf-s). CTRL+D, CTRL+P, CTRL+S
• Browser shortcuts that work on my Win10: SHIFT+LEFT MOUSE (open in new tab), F5 (refresh – or use icon), ALT ← & ALT → (browser back & forward – or use icon), SPACE or PAGE DOWN (scroll down), SHIFT+SPACE or PAGE UP (scroll up), HOME & END (top & bottom of page), CTRL+SCROLL MOUSE (zoom – or use icon, or (i) options), CTRL+A, CTRL+C, CTRL + V, CTRL-SHIFT-V.
• Key EPO references include
  • EPO office holidays: Home >Service & support >Official holidays
  • Extension / Validation OJEPO’s: Home >Law & practice >Legal texts >Extension/validation system
  • London Agreement: Home >Law & practice >Legal texts >London Agreement
  • National Law Tables: Home >Law & practice >Legal texts >National law relating to the EPC
  • EPO-EPC Guidelines: Home >Law & practice >Legal texts >EPC Guidelines
  • OJEPO’s: Home >Law & practice >Legal texts >Official Journal
  • OJEPO Search: Home >Law & practice >Legal texts >Official Journal >Search
    • link is at left on Official Journal page
    • search can be limited to specific language, parts of of OJEPO and specific dates
  • EPO Fees: Home >Applying for a patent >Fees >European (EPC) fees
  • EPO-PCT Guidelines: Home >Law & practice >Legal texts >PCT-EPO Guidelines
  • International Applications (PCT): Home >Applying for a patent >International route PCT)
  • Euro-PCT Guide: Home >Applying for a patent >International route (PCT) >Guide for applicants
• Other EPO references:
  • Look first for established Case Law in EPO Guidelines and G-Decisions. Only in emergencies look further:
    • BoA Case Law: Home >Law & practice >Boards of Appeal >Case Law of the Boards of Appeal
    • BoA Case Law Search: Home >Law & practice >Boards of Appeal >Search decisions