EPC 2000 in force: changes to Register Plus

No references to EPC rules

Until now the European Patent Register, which is accessible via Register Plus, provides information on procedural actions taken by the EPO, applicant or opponent by citing a specific rule, e.g. "Rule 51(4)". In order to avoid confusion about the rule numbers, which have changed completely with EPC 2000, this practice has cease with the entrance into force of the revised Convention. Instead, the Register will use words to give the gist of the relevant rule, e.g. "Dispatch of communication of intention to grant".

New information in the Register

Following a decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 12 July 2007, the European Patent Register will from now on include the following additional entries:
If the patent's period for opposition expires without an opposition being filed: "No opposition filed"

If an error is corrected in the European patent specification: "Patent specification corrected on (date)"
Date of despatch of supplementary European search report
Date of despatch of first examination communication
Date of receipt of request for re-establishment of rights
Refusal of request for re-establishment of rights
Opponent's name, address and country of residence or principal place of business
Name and business address of opponent's representative
New documents coming to light after the European search report was drawn up
For international applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for which the European Patent Office acts as designated Office:
- the international filing number
- the international publication number
- the international publication date
Date of request for limitation or revocation of the European patent
Requester's name, address and country of residence or principal place of business
Date of petition for review by the Enlarged Board of Appeal
Petitioner's name, address and country of residence or principal place of business
File number of the petition for review

File inspection

File inspection will remain essentially unchanged, except that documents relating to the new procedures will also be available, provided they are not excluded from file inspection (see Special edition No. 3, OJ EPO 2007, J.2. and J.3. for the relevant decisions of the President).

New information on EP-A publications

A publications will carry additional information in order to take account of new situations introduced into the pre-publication phase by EPC 2000 (e.g. "late filed" claims; request for re-establishment of rights in respect of the priority period).

New B3 documents

There will be a new B publication (B3) for approved limitations of granted European patents.
The EPO has set up a special information service for enquiries relating to the EPC 2000 and the impact it will have. Please send your questions to epc2000comm@epo.org

Further information

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