Notes from the Tutors’ meeting
The Annual meeting of EQE tutors and members of the EQE committees took place on 16-17 October 2025, with around 50–60 participants attending the online event. The new format allowed for interactive discussions between tutors and committee members.
A full and detailed summary will be published in epi Information (edition 4/2025) at the beginning of December.
In this post, I’m sharing some of my personal — and probably somewhat random — notes that may be relevant for EQE 2026 candidates. (Since I mainly focused on the presentations about Paper F, M2, and Paper D, I don’t have many notes on the other exams. Sorry about that!)
Disclaimer: These are personal notes intended to help candidates and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the EPO or epi.
About complaints:
A general message during the meeting was that candidates should file complaints only in cases of actual problems they personally experienced.
Please avoid filing copied complaints or submitting them merely in the hope of gaining marks. It is not necessary to file a complaint in order to be able to file an appeal later on.
(The right to be heard still applies, so if an issue arises, you will have the opportunity to respond even if you did not submit a complaint.)
The Examination Board has to consider every complaint, but their resources are limited. It’s in everyone’s interest that they have time to focus on genuine issues and real problems.
Paper F:
Paper F tests declarative knowledge, which means that candidates will not be expected to deal with strategic or exceptional situations but rather to know the legal texts and apply them in simple, day-to-day situations.
However,
The testing goes beyond the mere reproduction of facts.
Expectation that declarative knowledge is applied to rather straightforward situations.
"Straightforward" does not necessarily mean "easy"; however, questions requiring lengthy chains of argumentation or consultation of multiple legal sources are ruled out.
In principle, all parts of a question must be answered correctly to get the marks. However, there are exceptions (difficult questions and/or questions with many statements and/or questions for many marks) where marks will still be given also for partially correct answers.
No guarantee that passing threshold stays at 70%.
Syllabus includes the PCT Applicants guide, which includes the Annexes too!
Case law (e.g. G decisions) that is mentioned in the GL can be tested of Paper F! (Even though G decisions are generally not part of the syllabus.)
No Unitary patent in Paper F (at least in the near future).
No calendar needed for the years after the exam (e.g. when sitting EQE 2026, no need to print calendars for 2027 and 2028).
Claims analysis: there will be no COMVIK approach.
Claims analysis: from now on, the application of definitions given in the problem statement will be of more importance (e.g. different terminology in claims and prior art).
Paper M1:
Advice on how to prepare for M1 part 1:
Candidates should attempt mock paper under exam conditions (it will be added to WISEflow soon);
Use old pre-examination claims analysis questions for practicing;
Focus on understanding of basic elements of patentability: novelty, inventive step, priority, sufficiency, unity, added matter;
Ensure familiarity with key EPO procedures: search, examination, opposition, third party observations.
Advice on how to prepare for M1 part 2:
Similar to paper B, but much simpler and shorter;
Candidates could do past paper Bs, but they might be a bit overwhelming and difficult (these exams could be modified for practicing by reducing the number of claims and limit prior art);
Ideal preparation is real world experience of responding to and/or reporting communications (e.g. search reports, exam reports);
It will include simple, everyday technology, so don’t worry about understanding technical elements.
Have a good understanding of how to explain novelty, inventive step, clarity and how to amend claims and assess claim scope.
epi will publish two mock M1 exams around November (for a fee).
Paper M2:
M2 will be corrected in a similar way to D1. Marks will be given for alternative legal basis. (The legal basis mentioned in the Ex. Report is just the best legal basis, but you can also get marks for alternative legal basis.)
GL is a very good and important legal basis to be used.
PCT Applicant’s guide is also a possible legal basis.
No calendar needed for the years after the exam (e.g. when sitting EQE 2026, no need to print calendars for 2027 and 2028).
Unitary patent related syllabus (Rule 21(1)(q) IPREE) is purposefully limited to proceedings before the EPO to help candidates know what they have to focus on.
In 2026, the M2 exam will be the same as D1, with one less question (5 free text questions instead of 6).
From 2027, M2 exam will be a bit more about thinking, not just copying facts.
The M2 exam in 2027 exam will be similar to the Mock M2 exam published by the EPO.
Paper A:
No marks are available for copying the claims into the description (you probably do this in real life, but it is a waste of time in Paper A).
To maximise the points you can get, one dependent claim should have one feature only (e.g. you shouldn’t put a broad range and its preferred range in the same claim, you can get more points if you put them into two separate claims).
Paper B:
R.43(2) didn't have to be addressed in Paper B 2025, because the examiner didn't object in the office action.
Paper C:
Candidates don’t necessarily get zero marks for wrong attacks. They just get less (usually and depending on the circumstances, of course).
Paper D:
The pass rate in Paper D was a bit lower than in the last few years, however they don't know the reason for this.
Compensation was given to candidates because of the slow loading of the Paper D exam in WISEflow.
Marks are also given for alternative legal basis. (The legal basis mentioned in the Ex. Report is just the best legal basis, but you can also get marks for alternative legal basis.)
The GL is a very good and important legal basis to be used. When it comes to citing the GL, you can actually use the one valid as of 31 October of the year before the exam, or the new one valid at the time of the exam (that is also available in WISEflow). They are generous and accept both. However, it really helps them if you indicate which version you are using! It is sufficient to indicate it once in D1-1 and once in D1-2.
PCT Applicant’s guide is also a possible legal basis.
No calendar needed for the years after the exam (e.g. when sitting EQE 2026, no need to print calendars for 2027 and 2028).
The ADA and AAD are tested every few years, so this topic should not come as a surprise.
In D2, candidates are awarded corresponding marks, irrespective of where (below which D2 question) they give the answer.
And finally, candidates are reminded to read the instructions and rules carefully before the EQEs.