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The grant procedure before the European Patent Office (EPO) is an ex parte, administrative procedure, which includes the filing of a European patent application, [1] the examination of formalities, [2] the establishment of a search report, [3] the publication of the application, [4] its substantive examination, [5] and the grant of a patent, [6 ...
The EPC of 1973 made no provision for a limitation procedure, [6] and a fortiori no provision for centrally limiting a European patent before the EPO after the nine-month period for filing an opposition (nine months as from the date of grant of the European patent). The travaux préparatoires laid out the rationale for a limitation procedure:
A European patent is the product of a unified grant procedure before the EPO under procedures established by the European Patent Convention (EPC). Before grant, a European patent application is a unitary legal entity. However, after grant, a "European patent" essentially ceases to have unitary character.
During the grant procedure before the European Patent Office (EPO), divisional applications can be filed under Article 76 EPC out of pending earlier European patent applications.
The EPC provides a legal framework for the granting of European patents, [1] via a single, harmonised procedure before the European Patent Office (EPO). A single patent application , in one language, [ 2 ] may be filed at the EPO in Munich , [ 3 ] at its branch in The Hague , [ 3 ] [ notes 2 ] at its sub-office in Berlin , [ 5 ] or at a ...
The Guidelines for Examination in the European Patent Office (or, for short, the EPO Guidelines) are general instructions, for the examiners working at the European Patent Office (EPO) as well as for the parties interacting with the EPO, [notes 1] on the practice and procedure at the EPO in the various aspects of the prosecution of European patent applications and European patents.
There is no general obligation for a party to be represented by a professional representative to act in proceedings before the EPO. However, a person not having either their residence or place of business within the territory of one of the EPC Contracting States (a "non-European party") "must be represented by a professional representative and act through him in all proceedings", except for ...
Article 123(2) EPC provides that a European patent application, or European patent, may not be amended (both before and after grant) in such a way that it contains subject-matter which extends beyond the content of the application as filed. [1] In other words, an amendment cannot go beyond the original disclosure of the application.