New European route to UK patent attorney qualification

IPReg has confirmed the outcome of its EQE mapping exercise, recognising Paper M3 of the new European Qualifying Examination as an accepted route for demonstrating the advanced drafting and amendment competencies required for admission to the UK Register of Patent Attorneys.

Following a Board meeting on 21 May 2026, IPReg confirmed that a pass in EQE Paper M3 will be recognised as equivalent to the competencies assessed in the Patent Examination Board (‘PEB’) FD2 and FD3 papers. This means candidates who successfully complete M3 will be able to rely on that result when applying for registration as a UK patent attorney.

The decision also provides clarity for candidates qualifying through transitional arrangements under article 25 REE 2025. IPReg will recognise mixed routes comprising a pass in legacy Paper A together with M3 Part 2, or a pass in legacy Paper B together with M3 Part 1.

Importantly, existing exemptions and recognition arrangements remain unchanged. Passes in legacy Paper A, legacy Paper B, and the full legacy EQE will continue to be recognised for qualification purposes in both the UK and European patent attorney systems.

CIPA Vice-President Vicki Salmon said: ‘This is fantastic news for all those training to qualify as UK patent attorney and be admitted to the register. Our thanks go to all who have been proactively involved in helping IPReg come to this decision, particularly CIPA Fellows Julia Gwilt and Liz Elmhirst for EQE expertise and CIPA Education Committee Chair, Debbie Slater, with special thanks to Henrietta Rooney, IPReg Board member, who has been so instrumental in getting the profession to this position, so soon after the EQE changes were made available. This is great news for those trainees who had been contemplating that they would have to sit FD2 and FD3 this year, if no exemption was possible.’

Read the IPReg statement online.

Neil Lampert

Journal