T 0476/11 05-07-2011
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Method and system for facilitating payment transactions using access devices
I. This is an appeal against the refusal of European patent application No. 06000580.8 posted 17 September 2010.
A notice of appeal on behalf of the joint applicants (appellants) was filed by a letter received on 29 November 2010. The appeal fee was paid on the same day. The notice of appeal included a request for oral proceedings. No separate statement of grounds of appeal was filed.
II. By a communication dated 10 March 2011 sent by registered letter with advice of delivery, the appellants were informed that no statement of grounds of appeal had been filed and that, therefore, it was to be expected that the appeal would be rejected as inadmissible pursuant to Article 108, third sentence, EPC in conjunction with Rule 101(1) EPC. The appellants were invited to file observations within two months and requested to make clear if their request for oral proceedings was intended to apply to the question of inadmissibility of the appeal. No reply was filed to said communication.
As no written statement setting out the grounds of appeal has been filed and as the notice of appeal does not contain anything that could be regarded as a statement of grounds of appeal according to Article 108, third sentence, EPC, the appeal has to be rejected as inadmissible (Article 108 EPC in conjunction with Rule 101(1) EPC).
ORDER
For these reasons it is decided that:
The appeal is rejected as inadmissible.