European Patent Office

T 0117/87 (German Patent Office) vom 06.07.1988

Europäischer Rechtsprechungsidentifikator
ECLI:EP:BA:1988:T011787.19880706
Datum der Entscheidung
6. Juli 1988
Aktenzeichen
T 0117/87
Antrag auf Überprüfung von
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Anmeldenummer
79302462.1
IPC-Klasse
A61N 1/36
Verfahrenssprache
Englisch
Verteilung
Im Amtsblatt des EPA veröffentlicht (A)
Amtsblattfassungen
Weitere Entscheidungen für diese Akte
T 0117/87 1991-04-22
Zusammenfassungen für diese Entscheidung
-
Bezeichnung der Anmeldung
Programmable medical device
Name des Antragstellers
Medtronic
Name des Einsprechenden
Biotronik Mess- Therapie.
Kammer
3.4.01
Leitsatz

The following questions concerning important points of law are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal: (i) If the President of the EPO makes an agreement with an outside organisation (here: the German Patent Office), has he the power to include in such an agreement a term which requires the EPO in certain circumstances to treat a document which was filed at the EPO outside a time limit set by the EPC as if it had been filed within such time limit? (ii) If the making of an agreement which includes such a term is not within the power of the President of the EPO, what is the legal effect of such a term in such an agreement, having regard to the fact that the agreement was published in the Official Journal in order that parties to proceedings before the EPO should be informed of and rely upon its contents? (iii) In the present case, are time limit and place for filing the notice of opposition at the EPO governed by Article 99(1) EPC alone, or by Article 99(1) EPC in combination with Article 1, paragraph 3, of the Administrative Agreement dated 29 June 1981?

Schlagwörter
Notice of opposition delivered to German Patent Office
Notice of opposition filed at EPO after expiry of 9-month period
Administrative Agreement German Patent Office/EPO 1981/effect of
Orientierungssatz
-
Zitierte Akten
-
Zitierende Akten
T 0117/87T 0545/91

ORDER

For these reasons, it is decided that:

The following questions concerning an important point of law shall be referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal for decision: (i) If the President of the EPO makes an agreement with an outside organisation (here: the German Patent Office), has he the power to include in such an agreement a term which requires the EPO in certain circumstances to treat a document which was filed at the EPO outside a time limit set by the EPC as if it had been filed within such time limit? (ii) If the making of an agreement which includes such a term is not within the power of the President of the EPO, what is the legal effect of such a term in such an agreement, having regard to the fact that the agreement was published in the Official Journal in order that parties to proceedings before the EPO should be informed of and rely upon its contents? (iii) In the present case, are time limit and place for filing the notice of opposition at the EPO governed by Article 99(1) EPC alone, or by Article 99(1) EPC in combination with Article 1, paragraph 3, of the Administrative Agreement dated 29 June 1981?