100+ Free EQE Pre-Exam Practice Questions

Pass your EPO EQE Pre-Examination (European Qualifying Examination) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately

100+ Questions

100% Free

Loading questions...

Same family resources

Explore More IP Agent Exams

Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: EQE Pre-Exam Exam

20 x 4

Questions x True/False statements

EPO EQE Pre-Examination format

~70%

Passing Score

EPO

9 months

Opposition Period (Art 99 EPC)

European Patent Convention

31 months

Euro-PCT Regional Phase Entry (Rule 159 EPC)

EPC Implementing Regulations

2024

Last Pre-Exam (replaced by Paper F)

EPO modular EQE

12 months

Priority Period (Art 87 EPC)

European Patent Convention

The EQE Pre-Examination is a multiple-choice qualifying paper of the European Qualifying Examination, consisting of 20 questions each with four True/False statements across a legal-knowledge part and a claims-analysis part, with approximately 70% required to pass. It tests the European Patent Convention (EPC) and its Implementing Regulations, the PCT, patentability (novelty Art 54, inventive step Art 56 via the problem-and-solution approach), clarity (Art 84), added matter (Art 123(2)/(3)), claim interpretation and scope (Art 69), and procedure (filing Art 80, priority Art 87-89, examination Rule 70, opposition Art 99, appeals Art 108, further processing Art 121, re-establishment Art 122, Euro-PCT entry Rule 159). The Pre-Examination was held for the last time in 2024 and is replaced by Foundation Paper F under the modular EQE. Candidates train under a qualified European patent attorney; the EPO sets enrolment rules and fees.

Sample EQE Pre-Exam Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your EQE Pre-Exam exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A European patent application is filed at the EPO. Under Article 80 EPC and Rule 40, what is the minimum that must be present for a date of filing to be accorded?

A.An indication that a European patent is sought, information identifying the applicant or allowing contact, and a description or reference to a previously filed application

B.A complete set of claims and payment of the filing fee

C.A signed power of attorney and the search fee

D.A translation into all three official EPO languages

Explanation: Under Article 80 EPC together with Rule 40(1), a date of filing requires only: an indication that a European patent is sought; information identifying the applicant or allowing the applicant to be contacted; and a description or a reference to a previously filed application. Claims are not required for the filing date.

2An applicant filed a first application at a national office on 3 March 2024. By when must a European patent application claiming priority from that first filing be filed to validly benefit from the priority date under Article 87 EPC?

A.Within 6 months, i.e. by 3 September 2024

B.Within 12 months, i.e. by 3 March 2025

C.Within 18 months, i.e. by 3 September 2025

D.Within 31 months, i.e. by 3 October 2026

Explanation: Article 87(1) EPC grants a right of priority during a period of 12 months from the date of filing of the first application. A European application filed within that 12-month period (here by 3 March 2025) may validly claim priority.

3Within what period after the mention of the grant of a European patent is published in the European Patent Bulletin may any person file an opposition under Article 99 EPC?

A.Two months

B.Four months

C.Nine months

D.Twelve months

Explanation: Under Article 99(1) EPC, notice of opposition may be filed by any person within nine months of the publication of the mention of the grant in the European Patent Bulletin. The opposition is not deemed filed until the opposition fee is paid within that period.

4A decision of an Examining Division refusing a European patent application is notified on 10 April 2026. Under Article 108 EPC, what are the deadlines for the notice of appeal and the statement of grounds?

A.Notice of appeal and grounds both within 9 months of notification

B.Notice of appeal within 1 month and grounds within 2 months of notification

C.Notice of appeal within 4 months and grounds within 6 months of notification

D.Notice of appeal within 2 months and grounds within 4 months of notification

Explanation: Article 108 EPC requires notice of appeal to be filed (and the appeal fee paid) within two months of notification of the decision, and the written statement setting out the grounds of appeal to be filed within four months of notification.

5Under Rule 70 EPC, the request for examination of a European patent application must be filed within which period?

A.Six months of the date on which the European Patent Bulletin mentions the publication of the European search report

B.Two months of the filing date

C.Nine months of the priority date

D.Twelve months of the date of grant

Explanation: Under Rule 70(1) EPC, the request for examination must be made within six months of the date on which the European Patent Bulletin mentions the publication of the European search report. The examination fee must be paid within the same period.

6An applicant misses a time limit set by the EPO for replying to a communication from the Examining Division. Which remedy under Article 121 EPC is, in principle, first available to remedy the loss of rights?

A.Re-establishment of rights under Article 122 EPC

B.Further processing under Article 121 EPC

C.Correction under Rule 139 EPC

D.An appeal under Article 108 EPC

Explanation: Further processing under Article 121 EPC is the standard, no-fault remedy for missing a time limit vis-a-vis the EPO. It is requested by paying the further processing fee and completing the omitted act within two months of notification of the loss of rights. Re-establishment is only available when further processing is excluded.

7Under Article 14 EPC, a European patent application may be filed in any language, but it must be processed in one of the three official languages. Which are the three official languages of the EPO?

A.English, French and Italian

B.English, Spanish and German

C.English, French and German

D.French, German and Dutch

Explanation: Under Article 14(1) EPC, the official languages of the European Patent Office are English, French and German. An application filed in another language must be translated into one of these, which then becomes the language of the proceedings.

8When is the mention of grant of a European patent deemed effective, and from when does the nine-month opposition period run, under Article 97 and Article 99 EPC?

A.From the date the applicant pays the grant fee

B.From the date of the decision to grant by the Examining Division

C.From the date the translations of the claims are filed

D.From the date on which the mention of the grant is published in the European Patent Bulletin

Explanation: Under Article 97(3) EPC the decision to grant takes effect on the date the mention of grant is published in the European Patent Bulletin, and under Article 99(1) the nine-month opposition period runs from that publication date.

9A European patent application is published under Article 93 EPC. As a general rule, when does publication take place?

A.Eighteen months after the date of filing or, if priority is claimed, after the earliest priority date

B.As soon as possible after the filing date

C.Nine months after grant

D.Thirty-one months after the priority date

Explanation: Under Article 93(1) EPC, the EPO publishes a European patent application as soon as possible after the expiry of eighteen months from the date of filing or, if priority has been claimed, from the earliest priority date.

10Under Rule 36 EPC, a divisional application may be filed in respect of any pending earlier European patent application. Which statement correctly describes when a divisional may be filed?

A.Only after grant of the parent application

B.While the earlier (parent) application is still pending

C.Only within nine months of publication of the parent

D.At any time, even after the parent is finally refused or withdrawn

Explanation: Under Rule 36(1) EPC, a divisional application may be filed only in relation to a pending earlier European patent application. Pendency ends, for example, on grant, withdrawal, refusal becoming final, or deemed withdrawal.

About the EQE Pre-Exam Exam

The EPO EQE Pre-Examination is the entry-level paper of the European Qualifying Examination for prospective European patent attorneys. It is a multiple-choice paper in which each of 20 questions presents four statements to be marked True or False, split into a legal-knowledge part (EPC and PCT procedure) and a claims-analysis part (assessing novelty, clarity, scope and infringement of patent claims). A score of approximately 70% is required to pass. The Pre-Examination was last held in 2024 and has been replaced by Foundation Paper F under the modular EQE from 2025.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

4 hours (two parts)

Passing Score

~70%

Exam Fee

Set by the EPO (see official fee schedule) (European Patent Office (EPO) / epi)

EQE Pre-Exam Exam Content Outline

30%

EPC Legal & Procedural Knowledge

Filing requirements and date of filing (Art 80, Rule 40), priority (Art 87-89, Rule 52), publication (Art 93), examination request (Rule 70), grant (Art 97, Rule 71), renewal fees (Art 86), languages (Art 14), divisionals (Art 76, Rule 36), amendments (Rule 137), further processing (Art 121) and re-establishment (Art 122)

15%

PCT Procedural Knowledge

International filing date and effect (Art 11 PCT), receiving Office, automatic designation, ISR and written opinion, 18-month publication (Art 21), Article 19/34 amendments, Chapter II demand, restoration of priority (Rule 26bis.3), and Euro-PCT entry at 31 months (Rule 159, Rule 161 EPC)

15%

Patentability

Novelty (Art 54 including 54(2)/(3) and medical-use 54(4)/(5)), non-prejudicial disclosure (Art 55), inventive step and the problem-and-solution approach (Art 56), industrial application (Art 57), exclusions (Art 52-53), sufficiency (Art 83) and the COMVIK approach to non-technical features

25%

Claims Analysis: Novelty & Clarity

Claim interpretation, comprising vs consisting of vs consisting essentially of, dependent claims (Rule 43(4)), two-part form (Rule 43(1)), added matter and intermediate generalisation (Art 123(2)), extension of protection (Art 123(3)), clarity (Art 84), selection inventions, ranges, and assessing novelty over a described application

15%

Claims Analysis: Infringement & Scope

Extent of protection and the Protocol on Interpretation (Art 69), literal infringement, feature and range analysis, suitable-for purpose features, process and product-by-process protection (Art 64), and the national-law nature of infringement (Art 64(3))

How to Pass the EQE Pre-Exam Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: ~70%
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: 4 hours (two parts)
Exam fee: Set by the EPO (see official fee schedule)

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

EQE Pre-Exam Study Tips from Top Performers

1Learn the key EPC time limits cold: 9-month opposition (Art 99), 2-month notice and 4-month grounds of appeal (Art 108), 6 months from search-report publication to request examination (Rule 70), and 31 months for Euro-PCT entry (Rule 159)

2Master the problem-and-solution approach for inventive step (Art 56): closest prior art, distinguishing features, objective technical problem, then the could-would test

3For novelty (Art 54), remember a single document must directly and unambiguously disclose all features; a specific disclosure anticipates a generic claim, but a generic disclosure does not anticipate a specific example

4Distinguish 'comprising' (open), 'consisting of' (closed), and 'consisting essentially of' (open to immaterial additions) when assessing both novelty and infringement

5Know the added-matter gold standard (Art 123(2)) and the post-grant prohibition on broadening (Art 123(3)), and watch for intermediate generalisations

6For PCT, fix the 12-month priority period, 18-month publication, 22-month/3-month Chapter II demand deadline, and 31-month Euro-PCT entry with Rule 161 amendment opportunity

7Practice justifying each True/False statement with the precise EPC article, rule, or PCT provision, since reasoning under time pressure is the core skill

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the EPO EQE Pre-Examination?

It is the entry-level multiple-choice paper of the European Qualifying Examination for prospective European patent attorneys. Each of 20 questions contains four statements marked True or False, split into a legal-knowledge part (EPC and PCT) and a claims-analysis part, with about 70% required to pass.

Is the Pre-Examination still part of the EQE?

No. The Pre-Examination was held for the last time in 2024. Under the new modular EQE introduced from 2025, it has been replaced by Foundation Paper F, which assesses the application of EPC and PCT legal and procedural knowledge plus claims analysis. The main papers A-D are also being phased out in favour of modules M1-M4.

What topics are tested?

EPC legal and procedural knowledge, PCT procedure, patentability (novelty under Art 54, inventive step under Art 56 via the problem-and-solution approach), clarity (Art 84), added matter (Art 123(2)), and the analysis of patent claims for novelty, clarity, scope and infringement.

What passing score is required?

A candidate generally needs about 70% to pass the Pre-Examination. Marks are awarded per True/False statement across the legal-knowledge and claims-analysis parts.

What is the difference between comprising and consisting of in a claim?

'Comprising' is open: it requires the listed features but allows additional ones, so a claim using it is anticipated or infringed by any subject-matter containing all listed features. 'Consisting of' is closed: it excludes any unlisted components, so additional components take the subject-matter outside the claim.

How long should I study for the Pre-Examination (or Paper F)?

Candidates typically study 150-300 hours over 6-12 months during their training, focusing on the EPC, its Implementing Regulations, the PCT, the EPO Guidelines for Examination, and timed practice of True/False statement sets.

100+ Free EQE Pre-Exam Practice Questions

Explore More IP Agent Exams

Australian Patent Attorney Registration Exams (TTIPAB)

Australian Trade Marks Attorney Registration Exams (TTIPAB)

Canadian Patent Agent Knowledge Examination (CPATA)

Canadian Trademark Agent Knowledge Examination (CPATA)

China Patent Agent Qualification Examination (PAQE)

European Qualifying Examination (EQE)