The Convention on the Grant of European Patents of 5 October 1973, commonly known as the European Patent Convention (EPC), is a multilateral treaty instituting the European Patent Organisation and providing an autonomous legal system according to which European patents are granted.

The EPC provides a legal framework for the granting of European patents, via a single, harmonized procedure before the European Patent Office.

EPC Member States:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.

States recognising European patents upon request:
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia.

States which have been invited to accede to the EPC:
Albania, Serbia and San Marino.