{"id":165,"date":"2017-11-25T15:25:05","date_gmt":"2017-11-25T15:25:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/?p=165"},"modified":"2020-07-20T04:06:16","modified_gmt":"2020-07-20T04:06:16","slug":"procedural-issues-the-european-patent-convention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/2017\/11\/25\/procedural-issues-the-european-patent-convention\/","title":{"rendered":"Procedural Issues: The European Patent Convention"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A European patent application may be filed with the European Patent Office. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the law of a Contracting State permits so, and subject to the dispositions regarding Divisional Patent Applications<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, applications may be also filed with the central industrial property office or other competent authority of that State,\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">which shall have the <strong>same effect<\/strong> as if it <strong>had been filed on the same date with the European Patent Office<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The\u00a0<strong>divisional application<\/strong>, however, shall be filed\u00a0<strong>directly with the European Patent Office<\/strong>.\n<ul>\n<li>Only in respect of subject-matter which <strong>does not extend beyond the content<\/strong> of the earlier application as filed.<\/li>\n<li>It shall be deemed to <strong>have been filed on the date of filing of the earlier application<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>It shall enjoy any right of <strong>priority<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wipo.int\/wipolex\/en\/treaties\/text.jsp?file_id=287556\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-174 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/files\/2017\/11\/Divisional-Application-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"764\" height=\"165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/files\/2017\/11\/Divisional-Application-1.jpg 764w, https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/files\/2017\/11\/Divisional-Application-1-300x65.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">That disposition shall not preclude the application of legislative or regulatory provisions that, in any Contracting State, govern inventions which, owing to the nature of their subject-matter, may not be communicated abroad without the prior authorization of the competent authorities of that State; or prescribe that any application is to be filed initially with a national authority, or make direct filing with another authority subject to prior authorisation. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Requirements of a European patent application:<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A European patent application shall contain:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>A request for the grant of a European Patent:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The applicant <strong>shall designate all<\/strong><b> the Contracting States <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">party to the EPC at the time of filing of the European Patent Application <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in the request for grant of a European Patent. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The designation of a Contracting State may be subject to the payment of a designation fee; and it may be withdrawn at any time up to the grant of the European Patent.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>A description of the invention:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The European patent application <\/span><b>shall designate the inventor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. If the applicant is not the inventor or is not the sole inventor, the designation <\/span><b>shall contain a statement indicating the origin of the right <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to the European patent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Additionally, the European patent application shall relate to <\/span><b>one invention only <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">or to a <\/span><b>group of inventions so linked <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">as to form a single general inventive concept; and it <\/span><b>shall disclose <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the invention in a <\/span><b>manner sufficiently <\/b><b>clear <\/b><b>and <\/b><b>complete <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">for it to be carried out by a <\/span><b>person skilled in the art<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>One or more claims:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The claims shall define <\/span><b>the matter for which protection is sought<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. They shall be clear and concise and be supported by the description.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Any drawings referred to in the description or the claims<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>An abstract:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The abstract only serves the purpose of providing\u00a0<\/span>technical information<b> <\/b>about the invention<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">; it <strong>may not be taken into account for any other purpose<\/strong>, in particular for interpreting the scope of the protection sought or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.epo.org\/law-practice\/legal-texts\/html\/epc\/2016\/e\/ar54.html\">to be considered as part of the state of the art when analyzing novelty<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The European patent application shall also satisfy the requirements laid down in the Implementing Regulations. The date of filing of a European patent application <\/span><b>shall be the date on which the requirements laid down in the Implementing Regulations are fulfilled<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Fees:<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A European patent application shall be subject to the payment of the filing fee and the search fee. If the filing fee or the search fee <\/span><b>is not paid in due time<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the application shall <\/span><b>be deemed to be withdrawn<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Renewal fees: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Renewal fees for the European patent application shall be paid to the European Patent Office in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. These fees shall be due in respect of the third year and each subsequent year, calculated from the date of filing of the application. If a renewal fee <\/span><b>is not paid in due time<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the application <\/span><b>shall be deemed to be withdrawn<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The <\/span><b>obligation <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to pay renewal fees <\/span><b>shall terminate <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">with the payment of the renewal fee due in respect of the <\/span><b>year in which the mention on the grant <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">of the European patent is published in the European Patent Bulletin.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Priority right:<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-175 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/files\/2017\/11\/Priority.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"731\" height=\"153\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/files\/2017\/11\/Priority.jpg 731w, https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/files\/2017\/11\/Priority-300x63.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 731px) 100vw, 731px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>If an applicant filed an application for a patent, a utility model or a utility certificate in or for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Any State party to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property;<\/li>\n<li>Any Member of the World Trade Center Organization<\/li>\n<li>Any industrial property authority who recognises that a first filling made with the European Patent Office gives right to a right of priority under conditions equivalent to those laid down in the Paris Convention<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In respect of the <strong>same invention<\/strong>, shall enjoy a right of priority during a period of <strong>twelve months from the date of filing of the first application<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Every filing that is equivalent to a regular national filing under the national law of the State where it was made or under bilateral or multilateral agreements, including this Convention, shall be recognized as giving rise to a right of priority.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A \u201cregular national filing\u201d shall mean any filing that is sufficient to establish the date on which the application was filed, whatever the outcome of the application may be.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What happens if the first application has been withdrawn, abandoned or refused?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If the previous application has been withdrawn, abandoned or refused, without being open to public inspection and without leaving any rights outstanding, a\u00a0<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0subsequent application in respect of the same subject-matter as that previous first application and filed in or for the same State <strong>shall be considered as the first application<\/strong> for the purposes of determining priority.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Claiming priority:<\/b><\/p>\n<p>An applicant desiring to take advantage of the priority of a previous application shall file a <strong>declaration of priority<\/strong> and any other document required, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong>Multiple priorities<\/strong> may be claimed in respect of a European patent application, notwithstanding the fact that they originated in different countries. Where multiple priorities are claimed, time limits which run from the date of priority shall run from the earliest day of priority.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If one or more priorities are claimed in respect of a European patent application, <strong>the right of priority shall cover only those elements<\/strong> <strong>which are included in the application or applications whose priority is claimed<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Even if certain elements of the invention for which priority is claimed do not appear among the claims formulated in the previous application but are specifically disclosed in the documents of the previous application as a whole,\u00a0priority may be granted.<\/li>\n<li>If granted, the date of priority <strong>shall count as the date of filing<\/strong> of the European patent application for the dispositions related with the state of the art and the right to a European patent for independent inventions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Procedure up to grant:<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Examination on filing and as to formal requirements:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The European Patent Office (EPO) shall examine, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations, whether the application satisfies the requirements for the accordance of a date of filing.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If a date of filing <\/span><b>cannot be accorded <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">following the aforementioned examination, the application <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">shall not be dealt with <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">as a European patent application.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the European patent application <\/span><b>has been accorded a date of filing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the EPO shall examine whether the following requirements have been satisfied:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It shall be <\/span><b>filed in one of the official languages <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">of the EPO (English, French or German) or <\/span><b>filed in any other language AND translated into one of those official languages <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in due time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It shall <\/span><b>contain<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A request for the grant of a European patent;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A description of the invention;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One or more claims;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Any drawings referred to in the description or the claims;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">An abstract<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It shall <\/span><b>designate the inventor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Where applicable, it shall also<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">File a declaration of priority and any other document required, if the applicant desires to take advantage of the priority of a previous application.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the EPO notes that there are deficiencies which may be corrected, it shall give the applicant an opportunity to correct them, but if any deficiency noted in the examination and related with the formal requirements \u00a0is not corrected, the European patent application <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">shall be refused<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> unless a different legal consequence is provided for by the Convention. Where the deficiency concerns the right of priority, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">this right shall be lost for the application<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Then, the EPO <\/span><b>shall draw up and publish a European search report <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in respect of the European patent application on the basis of claims, with due regard to the description and any drawings; and after the expiry of a period of <\/span><b>eighteen months <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">from the date of filing or, if priority has been claimed, from the date of priority; <\/span><b>or <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">at the <\/span><b>request of the applicant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, before the expiry of that period; the <\/span><b>EPO shall publish the European patent application<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If <\/span><b>the decision to grant the patent <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">becomes effective before the expiry of the eighteen-months period, the European patent application <\/span><b>shall be published at the same time as the specification of the European Patent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The EPO <\/span><b>shall examine <\/b><b>on request <\/b><b>whether the European patent application and the invention to which it relates meet the requirements of the Convention<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The request shall not be deemed to be filed until the examination fee has been paid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The application shall be <\/span><b>deemed to be withdrawn <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">if:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The applicant doesn\u2019t made the request for examination in due time; or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the applicant fails to reply in due time to any communication from the Examining Division<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the examination that the application or the invention to which it relates does not meet the requirements of the Convention, the Examining Division shall invite the applicant, <\/span><b>as often as necessary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">file his observations <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">amend the application<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The applicant shall be given <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">at least one opportunity <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">to amend the application of his own volition; but <\/span><b>(i)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> the patent application may not be amended in such a way that it contains subject-matter which extends beyond the content of the application as filed, nor <\/span><b>(ii)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> the European patent to extend the protection it confers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the Examining Division is of the opinion that the European patent application or the invention to which it relates does not meet the requirements of this Convention, <\/span><b>it shall refuse the application <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">unless the Convention provides for a different legal consequence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the Examining Division is of the opinion that the European patent application and the invention to which it relates meet the requirements of the Convention, <\/span><b>it shall decide to grant a European patent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, provided that the conditions laid down in the Implementing Regulations are fulfilled. This decision shall take effect on the date on which the mention of the grant is published in the European Patent Bulletin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">After the mention of the grant of the European patent has been published in the European Patent Bulletin, the EPO shall publish the specification of the European patent as soon as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Opposition and limitation procedure:<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>What if I want to oppose to the grant of a patent?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Any person may give notice to the EPO of opposition to a patent <strong>within <\/strong><\/span><strong>nine months<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent in the European Patent Bulletin. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Notice of Opposition shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. It applies to the European patent in all the Contracting States in which the patent has effect.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>P<b>arties<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><strong> to the opposition proceedings:<\/strong>\u00a0the <\/span><b>Opponents <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">as well as the <\/span><b>Proprietor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of the patent. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If a person provides evidence that in a Contracting State, following a final decision, he has been entered in the patent register of such State instead of the previous proprietor, such person shall, at his request, replace the previous proprietor in respect of such State. <\/span><b>The previous proprietor and the person making the request shall not be regarded as joint proprietors <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">unless both so request.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What are the grounds for opposition?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The subject-matter of the European patent is not patentable if:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a discovery, a scientific theory or a mathematical method,;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is an aesthetic creation;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a scheme, a rule or a method for performing mental acts, playing games or doing business, and programs for computers;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is a presentation of information<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is related with:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the commercial exploitation of an invention would be contrary to \u201cordre public\u201d or morality. Such exploitation shall not be deemed to be so contrary merely because it is prohibited by law or regulation in some or all of the Contracting States.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Plant or animal varieties or essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals (except for microbiological processes or the products thereof).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Methods for treatment of the human or animal body by surgery or therapy and diagnostic methods practised on the human or animal body; this provision shall not apply to products, in particular substances or compositions, for use in any of these methods.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It is not new<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, does not involve an inventive step<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> or is not susceptible of industrial application<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The european patent does not disclose the invention in a manner sufficiently clear and complete for it to be carried out by a person skilled in the art<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The subject-matter of the European patent extends beyond the content of the application as filed, or, if the patent was granted on a divisional application or on a new application filed by a non-entitled person<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> beyond the content of the earlier application as filed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the opposition is admissible, the Opposition Division (OD) shall examine whether at least one ground for opposition prejudices the maintenance of the European patent. The OD shall invite the parties to file observations on communications from another party or issued by itself <\/span><b>as often as necessary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The proprietor of the patent can amend the patent through those communications. After all of this process, the OD will decide:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To <\/span><b>revoke the European patent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, if at least one ground for opposition prejudices the maintenance of the European patent.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To <\/span><b>maintain the patent as amended<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, if it meets the requirements of the EPC after the amendments made by the proprietor of the European patent, provided that the conditions laid down in the Implementing Regulations are fulfilled.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">To <\/span><b>revoke the patent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, if it do not meet the requirements of the EPC after the amendments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the European patent is maintained as amended, the EPO shall publish a new specification of the European patent as soon as possible after the mention of the opposition decision has been published in the European Patent Bulletin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Costs incurred shall be beared by each party to the opposition, unless decided otherwise by the OD for reasons of equity. The Implementing Regulations lay down a procedure for fixing costs, and any final decision of the EPO related with cost fixation shall be dealt with <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in the same way as a final decision given by a civil court <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">of the State in which enforcement is to take place. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Intervention of the assumed infringer:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Any third party may, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations, intervene in opposition proceedings after the opposition period has expired, if the third party proves that (a) proceedings for infringement of the same patent have been instituted against him or, (b) following a request of the proprietor of the patent to cease alleged infringement, the third party has instituted proceedings for ruling that he is not infringing the patent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>An admissible intervention shall be treated as an opposition<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Therefore, the aforementioned rules are applicable in the same way.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Request for limitation or revocation:<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The proprietor can request, with the EPO, to revoke or limit the European Patent by an amendment of the claims<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The request, however, may not be filed while opposition proceedings in respect of the European patent are pending.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Once the request is filed, the EPO shall examine whether the requirements for limiting or revoking the European patent have been meet. If the <\/span><b>request meets these requirements<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, the EPO <\/span><b>shall decide to limit or revoke the European patent <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. Otherwise, <\/span><b>it shall reject the request<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The requirements, as stated by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epo.org\/law-practice\/legal-texts\/html\/epc\/2016\/e\/r92.html\">Rule 92<\/a>, are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The request shall be filed in writing in one of the official languages of the EPO. It may also be filed in an official language of a Contracting State, provided that a translation is filed in one of the official languages of the EPO, following the rules regarding translation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It shall contain:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Particulars of the proprietor making the request<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and an indication of the Contracting States for which the requester is the proprietor of the patent<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The number of the patent whose limitation or revocation is requested, and a list of the Contracting States in which the patent has taken effect;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Where appropriate, the names and addresses of the proprietors of the patent for those Contracting States in which the requester is not the proprietor of the patent, and evidence that the requester is entitled to act on their behalf in the proceedings;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Where the requester has appointed a representative, particulars<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of the representative.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This decision shall apply to the European patent in all Contracting States in respect of which it has been granted, and shall take effect on the date on which the mention of the decision is published in the European Patent Bulletin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the EPO decides to limit the European patent, it shall publish its amended specification \u00a0as soon as possible, after the mention of the limitation has been published in the European Patent Bulletin.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Appeals procedure:<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Which kind of decisions can be appealed?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Decisions from the Receiving Section, Examining Divisions, Opposition Divisions and the Legal Division. It <\/span><b>shall have suspensive effect<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which means that the contested<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> decision has no legal effect until the appeal is resolved.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If a decision does not terminate proceedings as regards one of the parties can only be appealed together with the final decision, unless the decision allows a separate appeal. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The right to file an appeal against decisions relating to the apportionment or fixing costs in opposition proceedings may be restricted in the Implementing Regulations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Who is entitled to appeal? Who can be a party in an appeal proceeding?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Any party adversely affected by a decision is entitled to appeal it. Any other parties to the proceedings shall be parties to the appeal proceedings as of right.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>When do I have to file my Notice of appeal?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The notice of appeal shall be filed within <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">two months of notification <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">of the decision, and within <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">four months of notification<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, a statement setting out the grounds of appeal shall be filed in accordance with the Implementing Regulations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Who examines the appeal?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Interlocutory revision:<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Unless the appellant is opposed by another party to the proceedings, the department whose decision is contested shall make an interlocutory revision of the statement of grounds. If that department considers the appeal to be admissible and well founded, it shall rectify its decision. This shall not apply where the appellant is opposed by another party to the proceedings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the appeal is not allowed within three months of receipt of the statement of grounds, it shall be remitted to the Board of Appeal without delay, and without comment as to its merit.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Examination of appeals:<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the appeal is admissible, the Board of Appeal shall examine whether the appeal is allowable. Following the examination as to the allowability of the appeal, the board of Appeal shall decide on the appeal. The Board of Appeal may either:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exercise any power within the competence of the department which was responsible for the decision appealed; or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Remit the case to that department for further prosecution.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the Board of Appeals remits the case for further prosecution to the department whose decision was appealed, that department shall be bound by the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ratio decidendi<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> of the Board of Appeal, in so far as the facts are the same. If the decision under appeal was taken by the Receiving Section, the Examining Division shall also be bound by the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ratio decidendi <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">of the Board of Appeal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The role of the Enlarged Board of Appeal:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Board of Appeal has two different roles. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">First, it shall, during proceedings on a case and either of its own motion or following a request from a party to the appeal, refer any question to the Enlarged Board of Appeal if it considers that a decision is required to (i) ensure uniform application of the law or if (ii) a point of law of fundamental importance arises. In those procedures, the parties would be the same as in the appeal proceedings; and the decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal shall be binding on the Board of Appeal in respect of the appeal in question.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Second, the Enlarged Board of Appeal reviews any petition filed by a party, adversely affected by the decision of the Board of Appeal, who wants to appeal that decision. The petition may only be filed on the following grounds:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If the members of the Board of Appeal had any personal interest on the case, or if they were previously involved as representatives of one of the parties, or if they participated in the decision under appeal; or if the member took part on the decision despite being excluded under the corresponding procedure;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Board of Appeal included a person not appointed as a member of the Boards of Appeal;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If a decision is not only based on grounds or evidence on which the parties concerned have had an opportunity to present their comments, or if the decision is not taken in relation only with the text submitted to it, or agreed by the applicant or the proprietor of the patent. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Any other fundamental procedural defect defined in the Implementing Regulations occurred in the appeal proceedings; or<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A criminal act that may have had an impact on the decision, impact established under the conditions laid down in the Implementing Regulations. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The petition for review shall not have suspensive effect; and shall be filed in a reasoned statement. If the petition is based on the reasons 1 to 4, the petition shall be filed within two months of notification of the decision of the Board of Appeal; while, if based on 5, it shall be filed within two months of the date on which the criminal act has been established and in any event no later than five years from notification of the decision of the Board of Appeal. The petition shall not be deemed to have been filed until after the prescribed fee has been paid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Enlarged Board of Appeal shall examine the petition for review. If the petition is allowable, the Enlarged Board of Appeal shall set aside the decision and shall re-open proceedings before the Boards of Appeal in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If a person has in good faith used or made effective and serious preparations for using an invention which is the subject of a published European patent application or a European patent in the period between the decision of the Board of Appeal and publication in the European Patent Bulletin of the mention of the decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal on the petition, may without payment continue such use in the course of his businesses or for the needs thereof.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Common provisions governing procedure:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All of the EPO\u2019s decisions shall be based on grounds or evidence on which the parties have had an opportunity to present their comments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Third parties (which means, not parties to the proceedings) are allowed to present observations concerning the patentability of the invention to which the application or patent relates.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The means of giving or obtaining evidence are (but are not restricted to):<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hearing the parties<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Requests for information<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Production of documents<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hearing witnesses<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Opinions by experts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Inspection<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sworn statements in writing<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Decisions, summonses, notices and communications shall be notified by the EPO of its own motion in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. Notification may, where exceptional circumstances so require, be effected the intermediary of the central industrial property offices of the Contracting States.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Request for further processing:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> An applicant may request further processing of the European patent application if he fails to observe a time limit (under the compliance of certain circumstances defined in the Implementing Regulations).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><b>Re-establishment of rights: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If an applicant or proprietor who was unable to observe a time limit in spite of having take all due care required by the circumstances, the EPO shall re-establish his rights upon request if the non-observance of this time limit has the direct consequence of causing the refusal of the European patent application to have been withdrawn, or the revocation of the European patent, or the loss of any other right or means of redress. If the aforementioned conditions are met, the EPO shall grant the request.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As long as the amendment is not made to extend the application beyond its content as filed, or as to extend the protection it confers, the European patent application can be amended in proceedings before the European Patent Office, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. The applicant shall be given at least one opportunity to amend the application of his own volition.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Regarding <\/span><b>prior art <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">information, the EPO may invite the applicant to provide information on prior art taken into consideration in national or regional patent proceedings and concerning an invention to which the European patent application relates. The patent application <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">shall be deemed to be withdrawn<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> if the applicant fails to reply in due time to that invitation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In the absence of procedural provisions on the Convention, the EPO shall take into account the principles of procedural law generally recognized in the Contracting States.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A European patent application may be filed with the European Patent Office. If the law of a Contracting State permits so, and subject to the dispositions regarding Divisional Patent Applications, applications may be also filed with the central industrial property office or other competent authority of that State,\u00a0which shall have the same effect as if [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":146,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9029,8494,7896,10621],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-content","category-european-union","category-legal-systems","category-procedural-issues"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/146"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=165"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":178,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165\/revisions\/178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=165"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=165"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.lib.purdue.edu\/patents\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=165"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}