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EPC 1973	EPC 2000
Art. 53	Art. 53

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European Patent Convention (EPC 1973)

A revised version of the European Patent Convention entered into force on 13 December 2007. The provisions of the revised Convention apply unless the transitional provisions provide for the applicability of the EPC 1973.

EUROPEAN PATENT CONVENTION 1973 - Table of Contents

CONVENTION

PART II - SUBSTANTIVE PATENT LAW

PART I - GENERAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS

PART III - APPLICATION FOR EUROPEAN PATENTS

Chapter I - Patentability

Chapter II - Persons entitled to apply for and obtain European patents - Mention of the inventor

Article 53 - Exceptions to patentability

Article 53 29

Exceptions to patentability

Art. 100, 138, 167
R. 23d, 23e

European patents shall not be granted in respect of:

(a) inventions the publication or exploitation of which would be contrary to "ordre public" or morality, provided that the exploitation shall not be deemed to be so contrary merely because it is prohibited by law or regulation in some or all of the Contracting States;

(b) plant or animal varieties or essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals; this provision does not apply to microbiological processes or the products thereof.

29 See decisions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G 3/95, G 1/98, G 1/03, G 2/03 (Annex I).

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European Patent Convention (EPC 1973)