CONVENTION ON THE GRANT OF EUROPEAN PATENTS (EUROPEAN PATENT CONVENTION) PREAMBLE PART I - GENERAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS...

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1 CONVENTION ON THE GRANT OF EUROPEAN PATENTS (EUROPEAN PATENT CONVENTION) PREAMBLE PART I - GENERAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS CHAPTER I - GENERAL PROVISIONS Article 1 - European law for the grant of patents Article 2 - European patent Article 3 - Territorial effect Article 4 - European Patent Organisation Article 4a - Conference of ministers of the Contracting States CHAPTER II - THE EUROPEAN PATENT ORGANISATION Article 5 - Legal status Article 6 - Headquarters Article 7 - Sub-offices of the European Patent Office Article 8 - Privileges and immunities Article 9 - Liability CHAPTER III - THE EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE Article 10 - Management Article 11 - Appointment of senior employees Article 12 - Duties of office Article 13 - Disputes between the Organisation and the employees of the European Patent Office Article 14 - Languages of the European Patent Office, European patent applications and other documents Article 15 - Departments entrusted with the procedure Article 16 - Receiving Section Article 17 - Search Divisions Article 18 - Examining Divisions Article 19 - Opposition Divisions Article 20 - Legal Division Article 21 - Boards of Appeal Article 22 - Enlarged Board of Appeal Article 23 - Independence of the members of the Boards Article 24 - Exclusion and objection Article 25 - Technical opinion CHAPTER IV - THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL Article 26 - Membership Article 27 - Chairmanship Article 28 - Board Article 29 - Meetings Article 30 - Attendance of observers Article 31 - Languages of the Administrative Council Article 32 - Staff, premises and equipment Article 33 - Competence of the Administrative Council in certain cases Article 34 - Voting rights Article 35 - Voting rules Article 36 - Weighting of votes CHAPTER V - FINANCIAL PROVISIONS Article 37 - Budgetary funding Article 38 - The Organisation's own resources Article 39 - Payments by the Contracting States in respect of renewal fees for European patents Article 40 - Level of fees and payments - Special financial contributions Article 41 - Advances

2 8 Article 42 - Budget Article 43 - Authorisation for expenditure Article 44 - Appropriations for unforeseeable expenditure Article 45 - Accounting period Article 46 - Preparation and adoption of the budget Article 47 - Provisional budget Article 48 - Budget implementation Article 49 - Auditing of accounts Article 50 - Financial Regulations Article 51 - Fees PART II - SUBSTANTIVE PATENT LAW...80 CHAPTER I - PATENTABILITY Article 52 - Patentable inventions Article 53 - Exceptions to patentability Article 54 - Novelty Article 55 - Non-prejudicial disclosures Article 56 - Inventive step Article 57 - Industrial application CHAPTER II - PERSONS ENTITLED TO APPLY FOR AND OBTAIN A EUROPEAN PATENT - MENTION OF THE INVENTOR Article 58 - Entitlement to file a European patent application Article 59 - Multiple applicants Article 60 - Right to a European patent Article 61 - European patent applications filed by non-entitled persons Article 62 - Right of the inventor to be mentioned CHAPTER III - EFFECTS OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT AND THE EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION Article 63 - Term of the European patent Article 64 - Rights conferred by a European patent Article 65 - Translation of the European patent Article 66 - Equivalence of European filing with national filing Article 67 - Rights conferred by a European patent application after publication Article 68 - Effect of revocation or limitation of the European patent Article 69 - Extent of protection Article 70 - Authentic text of a European patent application or European patent CHAPTER IV - THE EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION AS AN OBJECT OF PROPERTY Article 71 - Transfer and constitution of rights Article 72 - Assignment Article 73 - Contractual licensing Article 74 - Law applicable PART III - THE EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION CHAPTER I - FILING AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION Article 75 - Filing of a European patent application Article 76 - European divisional applications Article 77 - Forwarding of European patent applications Article 78 - Requirements of a European patent application Article 79 - Designation of Contracting States Article 80 - Date of filing Article 81 - Designation of the inventor Article 82 - Unity of invention Article 83 - Disclosure of the invention Article 84 - Claims Article 85 - Abstract

3 Article 86 - Renewal fees for the European patent application CHAPTER II - PRIORITY Article 87 - Priority right Article 88 - Claiming priority Article 89 - Effect of priority right PART IV - PROCEDURE UP TO GRANT Article 90 - Examination on filing and examination as to formal requirements Article 91 - (deleted) Article 92 - Drawing up of the European search report Article 93 - Publication of the European patent application Article 94 - Examination of the European patent application Article 95 - (deleted) Article 96 - (deleted) Article 97 - Grant or refusal Article 98 - Publication of the specification of the European patent PART V - OPPOSITION AND LIMITATION PROCEDURE Article 99 - Opposition Article Grounds for opposition Article Examination of the opposition - Revocation or maintenance of the European patent Article (deleted) Article Publication of a new specification of the European patent Article Costs Article Intervention of the assumed infringer Article 105a - Request for limitation or revocation Article 105b - Limitation or revocation of the European patent Article 105c - Publication of the amended specification of the European patent PART VI - APPEALS PROCEDURE Article Decisions subject to appeal Article Persons entitled to appeal and to be parties to appeal proceedings Article Time limit and form Article Interlocutory revision Article Examination of appeals Article Decision in respect of appeals Article Decision or opinion of the Enlarged Board of Appeal Article 112a - Petition for review by the Enlarged Board of Appeal PART VII - COMMON PROVISIONS CHAPTER I - COMMON PROVISIONS GOVERNING PROCEDURE Article Right to be heard and basis of decisions Article Examination by the European Patent Office of its own motion Article Observations by third parties Article Oral proceedings Article Means and taking of evidence Article Unity of the European patent application or European patent Article Notification Article Time limits Article Further processing of the European patent application Article Re-establishment of rights Article Amendments Article Information on prior art Article Reference to general principles Article (deleted)

4 10 CHAPTER II - INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC OR TO OFFICIAL AUTHORITIES Article European Patent Register Article Inspection of files Article Periodical publications Article Exchange of information Article Administrative and legal co-operation Article Exchange of publications CHAPTER III - REPRESENTATION Article General principles of representation Article Representation before the European Patent Office Article 134a - Institute of Professional Representatives before the European Patent Office PART VIII - IMPACT ON NATIONAL LAW CHAPTER I - CONVERSION INTO A NATIONAL PATENT APPLICATION Article Request for conversion Article (deleted) Article Formal requirements for conversion CHAPTER II - REVOCATION AND PRIOR RIGHTS Article Revocation of European patents Article Prior rights and rights arising on the same date CHAPTER III - MISCELLANEOUS EFFECTS Article National utility models and utility certificates Article Renewal fees for European patents PART IX - SPECIAL AGREEMENTS Article Unitary patents Article Special departments of the European Patent Office Article Representation before special departments Article Select committee of the Administrative Council Article Cover for expenditure for carrying out special tasks Article Payments in respect of renewal fees for unitary patents Article The European patent application as an object of property Article Joint designation Article 149a - Other agreements between the Contracting States PART X - INTERNATIONAL APPLICATIONS UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY - EURO-PCT APPLICATIONS Article Application of the Patent Cooperation Treaty Article The European Patent Office as a receiving Office Article The European Patent Office as an International Searching Authority or International Preliminary Examining Authority Article The European Patent Office as designated Office or elected Office Article (deleted) Article (deleted) Article (deleted) Article (deleted) Article (deleted) PART XI - TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS (DELETED) PART XII - FINAL PROVISIONS Article Implementing Regulations and Protocols Article Signature - Ratification

5 Article Accession Article (deleted) Article Territorial field of application Article Entry into force Article Initial contribution Article Duration of the Convention Article Revision Article Disputes between Contracting States Article Denunciation Article Preservation of acquired rights Article Financial rights and obligations of former Contracting States Article Languages of the Convention Article Transmission and notifications IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS TO THE CONVENTION ON THE GRANT OF EUROPEAN PATENTS PART I - IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS TO PART I OF THE CONVENTION CHAPTER I - GENERAL PROVISIONS Rule 1 - Written proceedings Rule 2 - Filing of and formal requirements for documents Rule 3 - Language in written proceedings Rule 4 - Language in oral proceedings Rule 5 - Certification of translations Rule 6 - Filing of translations and reduction of fees Rule 7 - Legal authenticity of the translation of the European patent application CHAPTER II - ORGANISATION OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE SECTION 1 - GENERAL MATTERS Rule 8 - Patent classification Rule 9 - Administrative structure of the European Patent Office Rule 10 - Responsibility of the Receiving Section and the Examining Division Rule 11 - Allocation of duties to the departments of first instance SECTION 2 - ORGANISATION OF THE BOARDS OF APPEAL AND THE ENLARGED BOARD OF APPEAL Rule 12 - (deleted) Rule 12a - Organisation and management of the Boards of Appeal Unit and President of the Boards of Appeal Rule 12b - Presidium of the Boards of Appeal and business distribution scheme for the Boards of Appeal Rule 12c - Boards of Appeal Committee and procedure for adoption of the Rules of Procedure of the Boards of Appeal and of the Enlarged Board of Appeal Rule 12d - Appointment and re-appointment of the members, including the Chairmen, of the Boards of Appeal and of the Enlarged Board of Appeal Rule 13 - Business distribution scheme for the Enlarged Board of Appeal PART II - IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS TO PART II OF THE CONVENTION CHAPTER I - PROCEDURE WHERE THE APPLICANT IS NOT ENTITLED Rule 14 - Stay of proceedings Rule 15 - Limitation of withdrawals Rule 16 - Procedure under Article 61, paragraph Rule 17 - Filing of a new European patent application by the entitled person Rule 18 - Partial transfer of the right to the European patent CHAPTER II - MENTION OF THE INVENTOR Rule 19 - Designation of the inventor Rule 20 - Publication of the mention of the inventor Rule 21 - Rectification of the designation of an inventor

6 CHAPTER III - REGISTRATION OF TRANSFERS, LICENCES AND OTHER RIGHTS Rule 22 - Registration of transfers Rule 23 - Registration of licences and other rights Rule 24 - Special entries for licence registrations CHAPTER IV - CERTIFICATE OF EXHIBITION Rule 25 - Certificate of exhibition CHAPTER V - BIOTECHNOLOGICAL INVENTIONS Rule 26 - General and definitions Rule 27 - Patentable biotechnological inventions Rule 28- Exceptions to patentability Rule 29 - The human body and its elements Rule 30 - Requirements of European patent applications relating to nucleotide and amino acid sequences Rule 31 - Deposit of biological material Rule 32 - Expert solution Rule 33 - Availability of biological material Rule 34 - New deposit of biological material PART III - IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS TO PART III OF THE CONVENTION 892 CHAPTER I - FILING OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION Rule 35 - General provisions Rule 36 - European divisional applications Rule 37 - Forwarding of European patent applications Rule 38 - Filing fee and search fee Rule 39 - Designation fees Rule 40 - Date of filing CHAPTER II - PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE APPLICATION Rule 41 - Request for grant Rule 42 - Content of the description Rule 43 - Form and content of claims Rule 44 - Unity of invention Rule 45 - Claims incurring fees Rule 46 - Form of the drawings Rule 47 - Form and content of the abstract Rule 48 - Prohibited matter Rule 49 - General provisions governing the presentation of the application documents Rule 50 - Documents filed subsequently CHAPTER III - RENEWAL FEES Rule 51 - Payment of renewal fees CHAPTER IV - PRIORITY Rule 52 - Declaration of priority Rule 53 - Priority documents Rule 54 - Issuing priority documents PART IV - IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS TO PART IV OF THE CONVENTION 966 CHAPTER I - EXAMINATION BY THE RECEIVING SECTION Rule 55 - Examination on filing Rule 56 - Missing parts of the description or missing drawings Rule 57 - Examination as to formal requirements Rule 58 - Correction of deficiencies in the application documents Rule 59 - Deficiencies in claiming priority Rule 60 - Subsequent designation of the inventor

7 CHAPTER II - EUROPEAN SEARCH REPORT Rule 61 - Content of the European search report Rule 62 - Extended European search report Rule 62a - Applications containing a plurality of independent claims Rule 63 - Incomplete search Rule 64 - European search report where the invention lacks unity Rule 65 - Transmittal of the European search report Rule 66 - Definitive content of the abstract CHAPTER III - PUBLICATION OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION Rule 67 - Technical preparations for publication Rule 68 - Form of the publication of European patent applications and European search reports Rule 69 - Information about publication Rule 70 - Request for examination CHAPTER IV - EXAMINATION BY THE EXAMINING DIVISION Rule 70a - Response to the extended European search report Rule 70b - Request for a copy of search results Rule 71 - Examination procedure Rule 71a - Conclusion of the grant procedure Rule 72 - Grant of the European patent to different applicants CHAPTER V - THE EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION Rule 73 - Content and form of the specification Rule 74 - Certificate for a European patent PART V - IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS TO PART V OF THE CONVENTION 1014 CHAPTER I - OPPOSITION PROCEDURE Rule 75 - Surrender or lapse of the patent Rule 76 - Form and content of the opposition Rule 77 - Rejection of the opposition as inadmissible Rule 78 - Procedure where the proprietor of the patent is not entitled Rule 79 - Preparation of the examination of the opposition Rule 80 - Amendment of the European patent Rule 81 - Examination of opposition Rule 82 - Maintenance of the European patent in amended form Rule 83 - Requests for documents Rule 84 - Continuation of the opposition proceedings by the European Patent Office of its own motion Rule 85 - Transfer of the European patent Rule 86 - Documents in opposition proceedings Rule 87 - Content and form of the new specification of the European patent Rule 88 - Costs Rule 89 - Intervention of the assumed infringer CHAPTER II - PROCEDURE FOR LIMITATION OR REVOCATION Rule 90 - Subject of proceedings Rule 91 - Responsibility for proceedings Rule 92 - Requirements of the request Rule 93 - Precedence of opposition proceedings Rule 94 - Rejection of the request as inadmissible Rule 95 - Decision on the request Rule 96 - Content and form of the amended European patent specification PART VI - IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS TO PART VI OF THE CONVENTION CHAPTER I - APPEALS PROCEDURE Rule 97 - Appeal against apportionment and fixing of costs

8 14 Rule 98 - Surrender or lapse of the patent Rule 99 - Content of the notice of appeal and the statement of grounds Rule Examination of appeals Rule Rejection of the appeal as inadmissible Rule Form of decision of the Board of Appeal Rule Reimbursement of the appeal fee CHAPTER II - PETITIONS FOR REVIEW BY THE ENLARGED BOARD OF APPEAL Rule Further fundamental procedural defects Rule Criminal acts Rule Obligation to raise objections Rule Contents of the petition for review Rule Examination of the petition Rule Procedure in dealing with petitions for review Rule Reimbursement of the fee for petitions for review PART VII - IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS TO PART VII OF THE CONVENTION CHAPTER I - DECISIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE Rule Form of decisions Rule Noting of loss of rights Rule Signature, name, seal CHAPTER II - OBSERVATIONS BY THIRD PARTIES Rule Observations by third parties CHAPTER III - ORAL PROCEEDINGS AND TAKING OF EVIDENCE Rule Summons to oral proceedings Rule Preparation of oral proceedings Rule Decision on taking of evidence Rule Summons to give evidence before the European Patent Office Rule Examination of evidence before the European Patent Office Rule Hearing by a competent national court Rule Commissioning of experts Rule Costs of taking of evidence Rule Conservation of evidence Rule Minutes of oral proceedings and of taking of evidence CHAPTER IV - NOTIFICATIONS Rule General provisions Rule Notification by postal services Rule Notification by means of electronic communication Rule Notification by delivery by hand Rule Public notification Rule Notification to representatives CHAPTER V - TIME LIMITS Rule Calculation of periods Rule Periods specified by the European Patent Office Rule Late receipt of documents Rule Extension of periods Rule Further processing Rule Re-establishment of rights CHAPTER VI - AMENDMENTS AND CORRECTIONS Rule Amendment of the European patent application Rule Different claims, description and drawings for different States Rule Correction of errors in documents filed with the European Patent Office

9 Rule Correction of errors in decisions CHAPTER VII - INFORMATION ON PRIOR ART Rule Information on prior art CHAPTER VIII - INTERRUPTION OF PROCEEDINGS Rule Interruption of proceedings CHAPTER IX - INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC Rule Entries in the European Patent Register Rule Parts of the file excluded from inspection Rule Procedures for the inspection of files Rule Communication of information contained in the files Rule Constitution, maintenance and preservation of files CHAPTER X - LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE CO-OPERATION Rule Communications between the European Patent Office and the authorities of the Contracting States Rule Inspection of files by or via courts or authorities of the Contracting States Rule Procedure for letters rogatory CHAPTER XI - REPRESENTATION Rule Appointment of a common representative Rule Authorisations Rule Attorney-client evidentiary privilege Rule Amendment of the list of professional representatives PART VIII - IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS TO PART VIII OF THE CONVENTION Rule Filing and transmission of the request for conversion Rule Information to the public in the event of conversion PART IX - IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS TO PART X OF THE CONVENTION Rule The European Patent Office as a receiving Office Rule The European Patent Office as an International Searching Authority or International Preliminary Examining Authority Rule The European Patent Office as a designated or elected Office - Requirements for entry into the European phase Rule Consequences of non-fulfilment of certain requirements Rule Amendment of the application Rule Claims incurring fees Rule Examination of certain formal requirements by the European Patent Office Rule Unity of invention and further searches Rule The Euro-PCT application as conflicting application under Article 54, paragraph

10 PROTOCOL ON THE CENTRALISATION OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT SYSTEM AND ON ITS INTRODUCTION (PROTOCOL ON CENTRALISATION) PROTOCOL ON JURISDICTION AND THE RECOGNITION OF DECISIONS IN RESPECT OF THE RIGHT TO THE GRANT OF A EUROPEAN PATENT (PROTOCOL ON RECOGNITION) PROTOCOL ON PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT ORGANISATION (PROTOCOL ON PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES) PROTOCOL ON THE STAFF COMPLEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE AT THE HAGUE (PROTOCOL ON STAFF COMPLEMENT) RULES RELATING TO FEES Article 1 - General Article 2 - Fees provided for in the Convention and in the Implementing Regulations Article 3 - Fees, expenses and prices laid down by the President of the Office Article 4 - Due date for fees Article 5 - Payment of fees Article 6 - Particulars concerning payments Article 7 - Date to be considered as the date on which payment is made Article 8 - Insufficiency of the amount paid Article 9 - Refund of search fees Article 10 - Refund of the fee for a technical opinion Article 11 - Refund of examination fee Article 12 - Refund of insignificant amounts Article 13 - Termination of financial obligations Article 14 - Reduction of fees Article 15 - Entry into force CROSS-REFERENCE LIST TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS INDEX OF THE CITED DECISIONS ENLARGED BOARD OF APPEAL PETITIONS FOR REVIEW DISCIPLINARY BOARD LEGAL BOARD OF APPEAL TECHNICAL BOARDS OF APPEAL PROTESTS INDEX OF THEMES