G 0003/19 (Pepper (follow-up to Tomatoes II and Broccoli II)) vom 14.05.2020
- Europäischer Rechtsprechungsidentifikator
- ECLI:EP:BA:2020:G000319.20200514
- Datum der Entscheidung
- 14. Mai 2020
- Aktenzeichen
- G 0003/19
- Antrag auf Überprüfung von
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- Anmeldenummer
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- IPC-Klasse
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- Verfahrenssprache
- Englisch
- Verteilung
- Im Amtsblatt des EPA veröffentlicht (A)
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- Entscheidung auf Englisch
- Amtsblattfassungen
- Weitere Entscheidungen für diese Akte
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- Zusammenfassungen für diese Entscheidung
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- Bezeichnung der Anmeldung
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- Name des Antragstellers
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- Name des Einsprechenden
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- Kammer
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- Leitsatz
Taking into account developments after decisions G 2/12 and G 2/13 of the Enlarged Board of Appeal, the exception to patentability of essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals in Article 53(b) EPC has a negative effect on the allowability of product claims and product-by-process claims directed to plants, plant material or animals, if the claimed product is exclusively obtained by means of an essentially biological process or if the claimed process features define an essentially biological process.
This negative effect does not apply to European patents granted before 1 July 2017 and European patent applications which were filed before that date and are still pending.
- Relevante Rechtsnormen
- Directive 98/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 1998 on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, Art. 1 to 4European Patent Convention Art 112(1)(a)European Patent Convention Art 112(1)(b)European Patent Convention Art 112aEuropean Patent Convention Art 112a(2)European Patent Convention Art 15European Patent Convention Art 164(2)European Patent Convention Art 172European Patent Convention Art 21European Patent Convention Art 22(1)(a)European Patent Convention Art 22(1)(b)European Patent Convention Art 23European Patent Convention Art 33European Patent Convention Art 33(1)(b)European Patent Convention Art 33(1)(c)European Patent Convention Art 35(3)European Patent Convention Art 4European Patent Convention Art 52(1)European Patent Convention Art 53European Patent Convention Art 53(a)European Patent Convention Art 53(b)European Patent Convention R 23(b) 1973European Patent Convention R 23(c) 1973European Patent Convention R 23(d) 1973European Patent Convention R 23(e) 1973European Patent Convention R 26(1)European Patent Convention R 26(5)European Patent Convention R 27(b)European Patent Convention R 28European Patent Convention R 28(2)International ConventionsItaly: Codice della proprieta' industriale (IIPC) 2005, Art. 45.4.b and 81quater (e)Law of the Contracting States:Law of the European Union:Norway: Lov om patenter (patentloven) 1967 nr 9), Section 1; examination guidelines of the Norwegian Intellectual Property Office, section C, chapter IV, 2a.3.2Poland: (see pdf)RPEBA Art_010Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal R 21Serbia: (see pdf)The Netherlands: Rijksoctrooiwet 1995, Art. 3Treaty of the European Union, consolidated version 2016, Art. 19(3)Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Art. 267, 288Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 23 May 1969 Art. 31, 32
- Schlagwörter
- referred point of law re-phrased yes
admissibility of referral by the President of the European Patent Office yes, after re-phrasing
uniform application of the law - yes
point of law of fundamental importance - yes
different decisions by two Boards of Appeal yes
application of Article 112(1)(b) EPC by analogy - no
rules of interpretation
hierachy of norms
conflicting provisions - no of laws
dynamic interpretation of Article 53(b) EPC yes
impact of Rule 28(2) EPC on interpretation of Article 53(b) EPC yes
exception to patentability of product claims or product-by-process claims directed to plants, plant material or animals, if the claimed product is exclusively obtained by means of an essentially biological process or if the claimed process features define an essentially biological process yes
applicability of the exception to European patents granted before 1 July 2017 and pending European patent applications filed before that day no - Orientierungssatz
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- Zitierte Akten
- G 0001/88G 0006/91G 0002/92G 0009/92G 0003/93G 0009/93G 0003/95G 0004/95G 0006/95G 0001/97G 0001/98G 0003/98G 0004/98G 0002/02G 0001/03G 0001/04G 0002/06G 0002/07G 0001/08G 0002/08G 0003/08G 0002/12G 0002/13G 2301/16J 0008/82J 0020/84J 0004/91J 0016/96T 0128/82T 0297/88T 0019/90T 0039/93T 0272/95T 0315/03T 0991/04T 0083/05T 0666/05T 1213/05T 1242/06T 1208/12T 1063/18
- Zitierende Akten
- G 0001/19G 0002/21J 0009/21J 0006/22J 0005/23T 1807/15T 1870/16T 2320/16T 2734/18T 2774/18T 2796/18T 2840/18T 0112/19T 0281/19T 0420/19T 0452/19T 0958/19T 0959/19T 1028/19T 1030/19T 1341/19T 1370/19T 1384/19T 1430/19T 1854/19T 2360/19T 2516/19T 2613/19T 2689/19T 2825/19T 2463/22T 1874/23T 2049/23
CONCLUSION
Based on its understanding of the true object of the point of law referred to it by the President of the European Patent Office and on its findings above, the Enlarged Board of Appeal answers this point as follows:
Taking into account developments after decisions G 2/12 and G 2/13 of the Enlarged Board of Appeal, the exception to patentability of essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals in Article 53(b) EPC has a negative effect on the allowability of product claims and product-by-process claims directed to plants, plant material or animals, if the claimed product is exclusively obtained by means of an essentially biological process or if the claimed process features define an essentially biological process.
This negative effect does not apply to European patents granted before 1 July 2017 and European patent applications which were filed before that date and are still pending.