EQE Pre-exam training

Pre-Exam - Claim Analysis

The claim analysis part of the Pre-Exam does not only require the skills to understand and analyse patent claims. In addition, a large amount of information has to be processed in an efficient way.

In November 2023, Maastricht University offers candidates preparing for the Pre-Exam a 2-day training course focused on the claim-analysis part. This training course will teach you how to apply theoretical concepts such as scope of protection, novelty, inventive step, clarity, and allowability of amendments in a practical way to the type of questions asked in the Pre-Exam. In addition, the course will help you to build your confidence that you can pass the Pre-Exam.

Workshop duration: 2 days
Dates: Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 November 2023
The course will be given by Natasja Duhayon and Jeroen Declerck​
Online learning: from December 2023 to March 2024, you will receive several ​assignments

EQE Exam Training

More information: www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/eqe-training

Pre-Exam - Legal Questions

The legal questions of the Pre-exam requires you to quickly and correctly apply your legal knowledge to a legal situation presented in each of the 10 questions.

In November 2023, Maastricht University offers candidates preparing for the Pre-Exam a 1-day training course focused on the legal questions. This training course will teach you a practical methodology for answering multiple-choice legal questions. In addition, the course will help you to build your confidence that you can pass the Pre-Exam.

Workshop duration: 1 day
Dates: Wednesday 8 November 2023
The course will be given by Jeroen Declerck and Natasja Duhayon
Online learning: from December 2023 to March 2024, you will receive at least 6 assignments

In the Pre-Exam courses, use will be made of the reference book "Topic-Related Index to the EPC and PCT" written by Cees Mulder and Roel van Woudenberg. The book can be found here​.

The EQE Pre-Exam training will be given by by Natasja Duhayon and Jeroen Declerck.

Natasja Duhayon holds a PhD in physics from the University of Leuven (BE) and has been working at IMEC International since 1999. In 2006, she joined the Patent Group of IMEC International. Natasja passed the EQE in 2015 after attending the EQE training courses in Maastricht. Since 2019, Natasja has been lecturing in the Advanced Masters Intellectual Property Law and Knowledge Management (IPKM) given at the Faculty of Law of Maastricht University.

Jeroen Declerck studied micro-electronics at Leuven University (BE). He is a European patent attorney with experience in software, micro-electronics, telecommunication and electro-mechanics. Jeroen is a director of IP HILLS. He is a lecturer in the Advanced Masters in Intellectual Property Law and Knowledge Management (IPKM) at Maastricht University.

You can register for the EQE Pre-exam training by filling in our online registration form. 

Cancellations can be made until 14 days before the commencement of the course. You will receive a full refund of the fee minus an administrative charge of €150. After this date, no refunds can be made.

Course fees

The cost of the training for the Pre-Exam- Claim Analysis is €1200.- and for the Legal Questions is €650.-. If both courses are taken, the
price is €1700.-. This includes tuition, course materials, coffee/tea, lunches and access to the e-learning environment (including assignments of the online trajectory).

To qualify as a European patent attorney, you need to pass the European Qualifying Examination (EQE), which is administered by the European Patent Office (EPO). The EQE takes place once a year in the last week of February. The pass rate is less than 50%. The EQE consists of a Pre-exam and a main exam. 

After completing three years working in the European patent profession, under the supervision of a European patent attorney, and upon passing the pre-exam, the main exam may be taken. The main exam consists of four written Papers divided over three consecutive days. The Papers of the Main Exam may be taken all at once or divided over multiple sittings (different years). Only candidates with a suitable qualification such as a university degree in science or technology may enrol for the EQE. 

The main exam includes three practical papers and one legal paper:

Paper A: drafting of a European patent application 

Paper B: amendment of a European patent application 

Paper C: filing a notice of opposition against granted European patent

Paper D: part DI involves answering a set of legal questions, and part DII involves drafting a legal opinion following an inquiry from a client