On 20 December 1978, the first European patent application was published as EP 0 000 001 A1.
That first publication marked a turning point in the European Patent Office’s early history, the moment the new European patent system began generating an official public record. The European Patent Convention was signed in Munich on 5 October 1973, the European Patent Organisation was created on 7 October 1977, and the European Patent Office was established on 1 November 1977 as the executive body of the European Patent Organisation.
This was also the start of a lasting institutional rhythm, with 112 documents published together and the first European Patent Bulletin issued the same day.
| Country | Kind | No. | Published | Title | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP | Patent Application | EP 0 000 001 A1 | 20.12.1978 | Thermal heat pump |
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Last updated on 18 February 2026