G 0001/91 (Unity) of 09.12.1991

European Case Law Identifier: ECLI:EP:BA:1991:G000191.19911209
Date of decision: 9 December 1991
Case number: G 0001/91
Petition for review of: T 0220/89 1991-02-28
Application number: 80103866.2
IPC class: C25B 1/00
Language of proceedings: German
Distribution: Published in the EPO's Official Journal (A)
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OJ versions: German
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Other decisions for this case: -
Abstracts for this decision: -
Application title: -
Applicant name: Siemens
Opponent name: Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe
Board: -
Headnote: Unity of invention (Article 82 EPC) does not come under the requirements that a European patent and the invention to which it relates must meet under Article 102(3) EPC when the patent is maintained in amended form. It is consequently irrelevant in opposition proceedings that the European patent as granted or amended does not meet the requirement of unity.
Relevant legal provisions: European Patent Convention Art 102(3) 1973 European Patent Convention Art 82 1973 European Patent Convention R 61a 1973
Keywords: Unity in opposition - legally irrelevant
Catchword: -
Cited cases: -
Citing cases: G 0003/14 T 0220/89 T 0234/90 T 0551/90 T 0287/91 T 0524/91 T 0868/91 T 0195/92 T 0402/92 T 0463/95 T 0883/95 T 0245/96 T 0443/97 T 0579/97 T 1013/97 T 0314/99 T 0598/99 T 1081/02 T 0263/05 T 0106/06 T 0172/06 T 0339/06 T 0079/07 T 0993/07 T 1495/09 T 1577/10 T 0548/11 T 0830/11 T 0037/12 T 0115/12 T 0066/14 T 0318/14 T 2099/15 T 0146/16 T 1661/16 T 1835/17 T 2117/17 T 0647/18 T 0806/18 T 1417/18 T 2703/18 T 0571/19 T 0929/19 T 2000/21

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that the question of law referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal is to be answered as follows: Unity of invention (Article 82 EPC) does not come under the requirements which a European patent and the invention to which it relates must meet under Article 102(3) EPC when the patent is maintained in amended form. It is consequently irrelevant in opposition proceedings that the European patent as granted or amended does not meet the requirement of unity.