Chapter II – Admissibility of amendments – general rules
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  8. 3.4 Insistence on unallowable amendments
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3. Admissibility in opposition procedure

Overview

3.4 Insistence on unallowable amendments 

A revised version of this publication entered into force.

If the patent proprietors request amendments going beyond those permissible under Rule 80 (see H‑II, 3.1 and H‑II, 3.2), they are invited to withdraw them. If they then maintain their request, it is not admitted (for the reasoning see for example T 127/85, Headnote, and T 406/86, Headnote 1).

If, in addition to requests containing unnecessary amendments, there is an auxiliary request which meets the requirements of the Convention and in particular does not comprise amendments not complying with Rule 80, the decision must include the grounds for not admitting the higher-ranking requests.

It may occur that there is only one request which would be allowable, but for amendments which clearly do not comply with Rule 80. If the amendments cannot be admitted, the opposition division explains to the patentee that revocation of the patent is to be expected solely for reasons of the request's non-compliance with Rule 80.

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