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The European Patent Organization is an intergovernmental entity established on October 7, 1977, based on the European Patent Convention (EPC), which was signed in Munich in 1973. It comprises two main bodies: the European Patent Office (EPO) and the Administrative Council.

The European Patent Office serves as the executive arm of the European Patent Organization, providing inventors with a unified application process that enables them to obtain patent protection across 45 member countries. The office operates under the oversight of the Administrative Council.

The Administrative Council functions as the supervisory body of the Office and consists of representatives from the member states of the Organization.

Currently, the European Patent Organization has 39 member states. Additionally, European patents are recognized in one extended European state and five validation countries.

Decisions made by the European Patent Office can be appealed to its Boards of Appeal. While the Boards are part of the organizational structure, they maintain independence from the Office in their decision-making and are bound solely by the European Patent Convention.