EPC
Abbreviation with 2 meanings
| Stands for | Engineering, procurement and construction |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 2 |
| Categories | Science & Engineering, Law & Legal |
EPC has two meanings. It stands for Engineering, procurement and construction (engineering) or European Patent Convention (intellectual property).
Meanings of EPC at a glance
| # | EPC stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engineering, procurement and construction | Science & Engineering › Engineering |
| 2 | European Patent Convention | Law & Legal › Intellectual Property |
1. Engineering, procurement and construction
Science & Engineering · Engineering Abbreviations · also used in law
Contract model in which one contractor takes responsibility for designing, buying equipment and materials for, and building a project, such as a power plant, refinery, solar farm or LNG terminal, usually for a fixed price and schedule. The owner receives a finished facility ready to operate.
Example: The solar developer awarded a lump-sum EPC contract for the 300 MW plant.
EPC contracts shift much of the cost and schedule risk to the contractor, which is reflected in the price; FIDIC's Silver Book is a widely used template. A variant, EPCM, has the contractor manage construction on the owner's behalf rather than perform it. In energy efficiency, EPC can also mean energy performance contracting.
2. European Patent Convention
Law & Legal · Intellectual Property Abbreviations
Multilateral treaty, signed in Munich in 1973, that created the European Patent Organisation and a single procedure for granting European patents. It has 39 member states, including every EU country plus others such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Turkey.
Example: Under Article 54 EPC, an invention must be new over everything made available to the public before filing.
The revised text, EPC 2000, took effect in December 2007. Because the convention is separate from the European Union, the UK remained a member after Brexit. Article 52 excludes "programs for computers as such" from patentability, a frequent issue in software patent cases. In contracts, EPC means engineering, procurement and construction.
Related abbreviations
More engineering abbreviations
- DFM – Design for manufacturing
- ECN – Engineering change notice
- ECO – Engineering change order
- EIT – Engineer in Training
- ERV – Energy recovery ventilator
- FAT – Factory acceptance test
- FCAW – Flux-cored arc welding
- FE – Fundamentals of Engineering (exam)
See all 79 engineering abbreviations →
More intellectual property abbreviations
- CIP – Continuation-in-part
- CNIPA – China National Intellectual Property Administration
- Copr. – Copyright
- DOE – Doctrine of equivalents
- EPO – European Patent Office
- EUIPO – European Union Intellectual Property Office
- FRAND – Fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory
- FTO – Freedom to operate
See all 50 intellectual property abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.