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The European Patent Convention

 
 
Article 133[141], [142]
General principles of representation 
(1)
Subject to paragraph 2, no person shall be compelled to be represented by a professional representative in proceedings established by this Convention.
(2)
Natural or legal persons not having their residence or principal place of business in a Contracting State shall be represented by a professional representative and act through him in all proceedings established by this Convention, other than in filing a European patent application; the Implementing Regulations may permit other exceptions. 
(3)
Natural or legal persons having their residence or principal place of business in a Contracting State may be represented in proceedings established by this Convention by an employee, who need not be a professional representative but who shall be authorised in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. The Implementing Regulations may provide whether and under what conditions an employee of a legal person may also represent other legal persons which have their principal place of business in a Contracting State and which have economic connections with the first legal person. 
(4)
The Implementing Regulations may lay down special provisions concerning the common representation of parties acting in common. 
 
[141] Amended by the Act revising the European Patent Convention of 29.11.2000.
[142] See decisions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G 2/94, G 4/95, G 3/99 (Annex I).
References