European Patent Office

J 0004/00 of 21.03.2002

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:2002:J000400.20020321
Date of decision
21 March 2002
Case number
J 0004/00
Petition for review of
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Application number
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IPC class
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Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
Distributed to board chairmen and members (B)
OJ versions
No OJ links found
Other decisions for this case
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Abstracts for this decision
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Application title
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Applicant name
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Opponent name
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Board
3.1.01
Headnote
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Keywords
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Catchword
A request for examination under Article 94 EPC requires, over and above payment of the examination fee, that the underlying intention of an applicant that its application proceed to examination is manifested in a written statement made by the applicant or its representative addressed to the Office and received there in time. While this requirement is quite distinct from that of payment of the examination fee, there is no prescribed form of words for a request for examination which (as here) can be contained in the same document (here, a telex) as a debit order or other payment instruction. To qualify as a request for examination, the only reasonable interpretation in the circumstances of the case of the text filed with the Office must be that the applicant thereby wanted to inform the Office that it wish to have the application examined pursuant to Article 94 EPC.
Citing cases
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ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. The decision under appeal is set aside.

2. The case is remitted to the first instance for further prosecution.