1. The EPO Online Services portal provides access to personalised online services such as Register Alert, My Files and the Mailbox.
2. The portal and the services to which it gives access are free of charge. Some of the services, for example Register Alert, can be accessed by authorised users via a self-defined username and password, while others, such as the Mailbox, require identification by means of an electronic signature in the form of a smart card issued or recognised by the European Patent Office. The following is a list of recognised electronic signatures:
- European Patent Office > http://www.epo.org
- CERES > http://www.cert.fnmt.es/
- VRK-FINSIGN > http://www.vaestorekisterikeskus.fi/
- WIPO > http://www.wipo.int/pct-safe/en/certificates.htm
3. If a service is not accessed by a registered user for a period of six months, the European Patent Office reserves the right to automatically deactivate the user authorisation for that service without prior notice. Dormant mailboxes may be automatically deactivated after three months of non-access unless stated otherwise in the specific conditions of use for individual services.
4. The European Patent Office endeavours to ensure that the portal and its services can be accessed on working days from 08.00 to 18.00 hrs CET. However, it cannot guarantee that they will always be available at these times. If either the portal or any of its services are overloaded or malfunctioning, or if an overload or malfunction is imminent, this may restrict access to the portal or close it down altogether.
5. Without prejudice to the European Patent Convention and the secondary law of the EPO, the operation, provision and use of the services available via the portal, and any claims or disputes arising out of or in connection with the use of the system, are subject to German law.