All about Paper M1
Paper M1 Basics
Length: 3 hours, with a break in between
Paper M1 is split into two parts. The first part is to be completed before the break, with the second part only becoming available after the break. It will not be possible to go back to the first part after the break.
Start time: 9:30 CET (9 March 2026)
Topic: The EPO has published a Mock M1 exam, we can expect the first M1 exam to be similar to that. The first part of the exam tests the legal elements of drafting, defending and attacking, while the second part is a small case testing drafting, defending or attacking. (EPO’s Mock M1 exam includes a defending-type part 2, but I don’t think that is a guarantee that the actual exam will be exactly the same.)
According to the REE ("Regulation on the European qualifying examination for professional representatives"), Art.1(5)(b): “Paper M1 assesses whether the candidate can carry out tasks relating to the analysis and assessment of information and evaluate and act on instructions from a client. It further assesses whether the candidate can understand an invention and/or data provided by the client, assess the invention in view of prior art and analyse whether the invention and the application or patent comply with the provisions of the EPC.”
IPREE Rule 23: “Paper M1 may comprise different types of questions, such as multiple-choice questions, multi-select questions, tabular questions, questions requiring a fill-in answer, dropdown menu questions, rating choice/rank order questions, multi-point scale matrix questions and/or drag and drop questions, as well as open questions requiring a free-text answer.”
Syllabus: According to IPREE Rule 23(4), candidates are expected to be familiar with at least the documents listed in IPREE Rule 21(1)(a), (b), (e), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (m), (o), (s) and (t): “Unless otherwise provided, candidates are expected to be familiar with at least the following documents in the versions valid as at 31 October of the year prior to the examination:
(a) the EPC
(b) the Implementing Regulations to the EPC
(e) the Rules relating to Fees
(g) the PCT
(h) the Regulations under the PCT
(i) the PCT Applicant's Guide
(j) the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property
(k) the lists of EPC contracting states, extension states and validation states, of contracting states to the PCT and of states which have ratified the Agreement on a Unified Patent Court
(m) the Guidelines for Examination in the EPO
(o) the Guidelines for Search and Examination at the EPO as PCT Authority
(s) Code of Conduct of the Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office
(t) Regulation on discipline for professional representatives.
Threshold for passing: between 50% and 75% of the total achievable marks in both parts of M1 (we don’t know more before the exam). So both parts have to be passed separately, just like in Paper F (see IPREE Rule 6(4)).
Documents that can be printed: Candidates will be allowed to print the description of the invention as well as the prior-art documents. The documents allowed for printing will be made available no later than 10 minutes before the start of each part.
Paper M1 courses
M1 study group with Baris
8 October - 17 December, with bi-weekly meetings on Wednesdays
Together with Baris Atalay, a European Patent Attorney with 23 years of experience—and most importantly, a smart and approachable EQE tutor—we’ve created a course to guide you through the basics of drafting, defending, and attacking.
Baris will help you understand each task, identify the key issues, and answer your questions along the way. You'll also receive three different mock M1 exams as homework (with three different second parts to practice drafting, defending and attacking too), which you can discuss with the other candidates at the next session.
The course starts in October 2025 and includes 6 online meetings on every second Wednesday afternoons with Baris as your tutor, and a small group of candidates. Positive and supportive learning environment is guaranteed! Of course, all meetings will be recorded for your convenience.
For more details, exact dates and testimonials, click on “Learn more” below.
M1 study group with Baris
14 January - 18 February 2026, with meetings on consecutive Wednesdays
Together with Baris Atalay, a European Patent Attorney with 23 years of experience—and most importantly, a smart and approachable EQE tutor—we’ve created a course to guide you through the basics of drafting, defending, and attacking.
Baris will help you understand each task, identify the key issues, and answer your questions along the way. You'll also receive three different mock M1 exams as homework (with three different second parts to practice drafting, defending and attacking too), which you can discuss with the other candidates at the next session.
The course starts in January 2026 and includes 6 online meetings on consecutive Wednesday afternoons with Baris as your tutor, and a small group of candidates. Positive and supportive learning environment is guaranteed! Of course, all meetings will be recorded for your convenience.
For more details, exact dates and testimonials, click on “Learn more” below.
How to deal with Paper M1?
The new M1 exam tests analytical skills, as well as the understanding and evaluation of the client’s instructions. These skills used to be tested in the old Papers A, B, and C. So, what you can do to prepare for M1 is to start reading old Paper A and B exams (any exams since 2017) and C exams (any Paper C exams). Try to understand what was being tested by carefully reading and learning from the Examiners’ reports. You should learn how to best analyse the text; for example by taking notes in a simple table, highlighting the text with different colours, or using any other methods that work for you.
If you didn’t complete all the claims analysis exercises before your Paper F exam, those might be good practice too. You can learn how to read and analyse descriptions and claims, and compare them to the prior art.
In the old EQE exams, it was very important to follow the client’s instructions while also complying with the EPC. The client knows what makes their invention novel and inventive, but they are not really aware of the EPC and have no idea what Art. 123(2) or Art. 84 are. So, you cannot just blindly follow the client’s instructions; you have to make sure that your solution meets the requirements.
Also, don’t forget that the EQE is an artificial exam where your claim (or claim amendment, etc.) has to be novel and inventive in the exam, even though in real life you get more chances to argue with the examiner.
You should also understand and practise the problem-solution approach, as that will most likely be tested in this new exam.
By studying the EPC and PCT for M2, you will also be preparing for any legal questions that might appear in Part 1 of M1.