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Guidelines for Examination in the EPO

Guidelines for Examination - Table of Contents  
PART C GUIDELINES FOR SUBSTANTIVE EXAMINATION PART B PART D  
CHAPTER III CLAIMS CHAPTER II CONTENT OF A EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION (OTHER THAN CLAIMS) CHAPTER IV PATENTABILITY  
2. Form and content of claims 1. General 3. Kinds of claim  
2.3 Two-part form unsuitable 2.2 Two-part form 2.4 Formulae and tables  
2.3.1 No two-part form   2.3.2 Two-part form wherever appropriate  

2.3.1

No two-part form

 

There is a special instance in which the Rule 43 form of claim should be avoided. This is when the only relevant prior art is another European patent application falling within the terms of Art. 54(3). Such prior art should however be clearly acknowledged in the description (see II, 4.3, penultimate paragraph, and 4.4).

Art. 54(3)




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