歐洲專利局10天規則
歐洲專利局將於2023年11月1日起停止「10天規則」
由於歐洲專利局（EPO）最近大規模部署電子通信手段，並允許以電子方式發送通信，因此歐洲專利局（EPO）決定自2023 年11 月1 日起停止歐洲專利公約（EPC）第126條之規定—「10天規則（10-day rule）」。
歐洲專利公約（EPC）第126條(註1)規定：所有以郵寄發出之通知必須以掛號形式寄出，該信件在移交郵政單位後的第十天被視為已送達收件人。如有任何爭議，歐洲專利局（EPO）有義務確定信件已送達目的地或確定信件送達收件人的日期。 由於歐洲專利局（EPO）的主要時效均是以文件送達日起算，因此該規則意味著對掛號信發送的通知仍然可以在實際收到後的第10 天視為有效送達日，因此出現了「10 天規則（10-day rule）」一說。
如前所述，由於歐洲專利局（EPO）允許以電子方式發送通信，因此歐洲專利局（EPO）將自2023 年11 月1 日起放棄歐洲專利公約（EPC）第126條之規定。從前述日期起，文件將被視為已在該日期通知給收件人他們承擔。 當然，如果未收到文件或收到文件的時間過晚（自文件日期起超過 7 天），當然會提供保障措施。 如果對文件的送達日有爭議，歐洲專利局（EPO）有義務證明文件已送達以及送達日期。
內容來源：The European IP Messenger (September / October 2023)
註1：
EPC Rule 126 Notification by postal services
(1)All notifications by postal services shall be by registered letter.
(2)Where notification is effected in accordance with paragraph 1, the letter shall be deemed to be delivered to the addressee on the tenth day following its handover to the postal service provider, unless it has failed to reach the addressee or has reached him at a later date; in the event of any dispute, it shall be incumbent on the European Patent Office to establish that the letter has reached its destination or to establish the date on which the letter was delivered to the addressee, as the case may be.
(3)Notification in accordance with paragraph 1 shall be deemed to have been effected even if acceptance of the letter has been refused.
(4)To the extent that notification by postal services is not covered by paragraphs 1 to 3, the law of the State in which the notification is made shall apply.