T 0227/88 (Detergent compositions) vom 15.12.1988

1. In all cases in which amendments are requested by the patentee and are considered to be free from objection under Article 123 EPC, Article 102(3) EPC confers upon the Opposition Division and the Board of Appeal jurisdiction, and thus the power to decide upon the patent as amended in the light of the requirements of the Convention as a whole. This jurisdiction is thus wider than that conferred by Article 102(1) and (2) EPC, which expressly limits jurisdiction to the grounds of opposition mentioned in Article 100 EPC.

2. When substantive amendments are made to a patent within the extent to which the patent is opposed, both instances have the power to deal with grounds and issues arising from those amendments even though not specifically raised by an opponent pursuant to Rule 55(c) EPC (cf. point 3 of the Reasons; following T 9/87 - 3.3.1 Zeolites/ICI, 18 August 1988,JO EPO 1989, 438).