EPO offers support for European patent administration certification

The European Patent Office’s (EPO) Candidate Support Programme (CSP) will be extended from 2026 to cover applicants preparing for the European Patent Administration Certification (EPAC). The CSP provides financial support as well as tutoring and training to prepare candidates for the EPAC examination in October 2026.

EPAC is a European certification to validate the skills of patent administrators in managing patent procedures. The certification covers, among other things, the filing, prosecution and grant of European and international patent applications, as well as post-grant procedures. The certification also covers unitary patents.

Applications open on 30 January 2026

Applications for the CSP are open from 30 January to 19 February 2026. The programme is intended for applicants who are preparing for and participating in at least two EPAC exam modules.

How to apply for the CSP:

  1. Verify your identity in the EPO's EQC portal.Avautuu uuteen välilehteen
  2. Fill in and send the online CSP application form.Avautuu uuteen välilehteen Please note: the application form will only be available from 10:00 on 30 January to 19:00 on 19 February 2026.

The application must include a motivation letter and a CV. The applicants must also verify that they are domiciled in Finland.

The participation terms of the support programme are available here.Avautuu uuteen välilehteen

The Finnish Patent and Registration Office will select the EPAC applicant for the CSP by early March. The training and tutoring sessions will begin in mid-March.

More details on the CSP application process can be found in the links below:


For further information, please contact:

Jaakko Hosio, Head of Division
Finnish Patent and Registration Office (PRH)
Email:firstname.lastname@prh.fi
Tel. +358 29 509 5760‍