Annual Report 2018

Quality indicators

Customer satisfaction

The EPO monitors customer satisfaction by running regular quantitative surveys with independent research institutes. Here below, the top results of these EPO surveys1.

Customer satisfaction with search and examination services1 2016 2017 2018
% satisfied or very satisfied 79% 80% 81%
% average 17% 16% 16%
% not satisfied 4% 4% 3%
Customer satisfaction with formalities services1 2016 2017 2018
% satisfied or very satisfied 84% 89% 87%
% average 13% 8% 7%
% not satisfied 3% 3% 6%
1 Every year, the EPO carries out customer satisfaction surveys on its search, examination and formalities services.
More background information on these surveys: search and examinations services and formalities services.

Timeliness of patent grant procedure

Timeliness 2017 2018
Search timeliness2 All searches (in months) 4.8 4.4
Examination timeliness3 European examination (in months) 22.1 22.3
Duration of opposition
procedure4		 All oppositions (in months) 22.4 18.6
% of international
searches on-time5		 96.5% 96.4%
Time to accelerated
examination action6		 3.1 2.8
2 Median value for all searches calculated from date of receipt at the EPO to dispatch of search report.
3 Median value calculated from valid examination request to dispatch of examiner's intention to grant.
4 Median value calculated from expiry of opposition filing period to date of opposition decision.
5 Percentage of PCT Chapter 1 international searches completed in time for publication along with the application (A1 publication).
6 Median time in months calculated from the examination procedure start date to examiner's first communication or decision to grant.

Timeliness of customer services

The EPO has set up Customer Services helpdesk and Customer Relationship Management System to handle users' queries. More information on the EPO's Customer Service Charter.

2017 2018
Timeliness of response
to telephone enquiries 		Calls to Customer services answered
within 20 seconds 		97% 92%
Calls to EPO switchboards answered
within 20 seconds 		99% 99%
Resolution of customer
services enquiries7		   91% 90%
7 Within 2 working days calculated in elapsed working hours (2 days = 16hrs).

Complaints 8

2017 2018
Complaints registered 334 384
% Breakdown by issue  
  Examiner products and services 46% 51%
  Formalities products and services 15% 21%
  Other products and services 39% 28%
% registered online 56% 43%
% complaints replied to within 20 business days8 83% 88%
8 More information on the EPO's complaints procedure.
Source: EPO.
Status: 31.12.2018.

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