European Patent Office

T 0083/05 (Broccoli/PLANT BIOSCIENCE) vom 22.05.2007

Europäischer Rechtsprechungsidentifikator
ECLI:EP:BA:2007:T008305.20070522
Datum der Entscheidung
22. Mai 2007
Aktenzeichen
T 0083/05
Antrag auf Überprüfung von
-
Anmeldenummer
99915886.8
IPC-Klasse
A01H 5/10
Verfahrenssprache
Englisch
Verteilung
Im Amtsblatt des EPA veröffentlicht (A)
Amtsblattfassungen
Zusammenfassungen für diese Entscheidung
-
Bezeichnung der Anmeldung
Method for selective increase of the anticarcinogenic glucosinolates in Brassica species
Name des Antragstellers
Plant Bioscience Limited
Name des Einsprechenden
Syngenta Participations AG
Groupe Limagrain Holding
Kammer
3.3.04
Leitsatz

The following questions are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal for decision:

1. Does a non-microbiological process for the production of plants which contains the steps of crossing and selecting plants escape the exclusion of Article 53(b) EPC merely because it contains, as a further step or as part of any of the steps of crossing and selection, an additional feature of a technical nature?

2. If question 1 is answered in the negative, what are the relevant criteria for distinguishing non-microbiological plant production processes excluded from patent protection under Article 53(b) EPC from non-excluded ones? In particular, is it relevant where the essence of the claimed invention lies and/or whether the additional feature of a technical nature contributes something to the claimed invention beyond a trivial level?

Schlagwörter
Added subject-matter (no)
Sufficiency of disclosure (yes)
Entitlement to priority (yes)
Novelty (yes)
Inventive step (yes)
Exclusion of essentially biological processes for the production of plants - important point of law - referral of questions to the Enlarged Board of Appeal
Orientierungssatz
-

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

The following questions are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal for decision:

1. Does a non-microbiological process for the production of plants which contains the steps of crossing and selecting plants escape the exclusion of Article 53(b) EPC merely because it contains, as a further step or as part of any of the steps of crossing and selection, an additional feature of a technical nature?

2. If question 1 is answered in the negative, what are the relevant criteria for distinguishing non-microbiological plant production processes excluded from patent protection under Article 53(b) EPC from non-excluded ones? In particular, is it relevant where the essence of the claimed invention lies and/or whether the additional feature of a technical nature contributes something to the claimed invention beyond a trivial level?