J 0008/07 (Language of the proceedings/MERIAL) of 08.12.2008
- European Case Law Identifier
- ECLI:EP:BA:2008:J000807.20081208
- Date of decision
- 8 December 2008
- Case number
- J 0008/07
- Petition for review of
- -
- Application number
- 02759818.4
- IPC class
- C12N 1/00
- Language of proceedings
- French
- Distribution
- Published in the EPO's Official Journal (A)
- Download
- Decision in French
- Other decisions for this case
- J 0008/07 Langue de la procédure 2010-07-01
- Abstracts for this decision
- -
- Application title
- Vaccin contre le virus de la fièvre du Nil
- Applicant name
- MERIAL
- Opponent name
- -
- Board
- 3.1.01
- Headnote
The following questions are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal:
1. If an international patent application has been filed and published under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in an official language of the European Patent Office (EPO), can the applicant, on entry into the regional phase before the EPO, file a translation of the application into another EPO official language which then becomes the language of all subsequent proceedings before the EPO?
2. If the answer to that question is no, can EPO departments use, in written proceedings on a European patent application (or an international application in the regional phase), an EPO official language other than the language of proceedings used for the application?
3. If the answer to question 2 is yes, what criteria must be applied to determine the official language to be used?
In particular, must EPO departments agree to any such request from a party or parties?
- Relevant legal provisions
- European Patent Convention Art 111(1) 1973European Patent Convention Art 112 1973European Patent Convention Art 14(1) 1973European Patent Convention Art 14(2) 1973European Patent Convention Art 14(3)European Patent Convention Art 14(3) 1973European Patent Convention Art 14(6) 1973European Patent Convention Art 14(7) 1973European Patent Convention Art 150(1) 1973European Patent Convention Art 150(2) 1973European Patent Convention Art 150(3) 1973European Patent Convention Art 153 1973European Patent Convention Art 158(1) 1973European Patent Convention Art 158(2) 1973European Patent Convention Art 158(3) 1973European Patent Convention Art 70(1) 1973European Patent Convention R 1(1) 1973European Patent Convention R 1(2) 1973European Patent Convention R 107(1)(a) 1973European Patent Convention R 108(1) 1973European Patent Convention R 3European Patent Convention R 3 1973European Patent Convention R 4European Patent Convention R 4 1973Patent Cooperation Treaty Art 11.1)(ii)Patent Cooperation Treaty Art 12Patent Cooperation Treaty Art 21.4)Patent Cooperation Treaty Art 22.1)Patent Cooperation Treaty Art 3Patent Cooperation Treaty Art 4(i)Patent Cooperation Treaty R 12(1)Patent Cooperation Treaty R 12(2)Patent Cooperation Treaty R 48(3)Patent Cooperation Treaty R 55(1)Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal Art 11
- Keywords
- Language of the proceedings - choice of language when a PCT application enters the regional phase - use by the EPO in written proceedings of an official language other than that of the proceedings
- Catchword
- -
- Cited cases
- G 0001/83G 0005/83G 0006/83J 0018/90J 0030/90J 0034/90J 0004/91J 0005/91J 0008/94J 0020/96J 0010/07T 0788/91T 1102/00T 1125/00T 1443/04D 0027/97
- Citing cases
- -
ORDER
For these reasons it is decided that:
The following questions are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal:
1. If an international patent application has been filed and published under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in an official language of the European Patent Office (EPO), can the applicant, on entry into the regional phase before the EPO, file a translation of the application into another EPO official language which then becomes the language of all subsequent proceedings before the EPO ?
2. If the answer to that question is no, can EPO departments use, in written proceedings on a European patent application (or an international application in the regional phase), an EPO official language other than the language of proceedings used for the application?
3. If the answer to question 2 is yes, what criteria must be applied to determine the official language to be used?
In particular, must EPO departments agree to any such request from a party or parties?