European Patent Office

J 0012/87 (Re-establishment of rights) of 25.03.1988

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:1988:J001287.19880325
Date of decision
25 March 1988
Case number
J 0012/87
Petition for review of
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Application number
85900192.7
IPC class
G03G 5/08
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
Published in the EPO's Official Journal (A)
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
Hitachi
Opponent name
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Board
3.1.01
Headnote

1. If the national fee, search fee and designation fees due in respect of a Euro-PCT application are not paid within the basic time limit (which expires 21 months after the priority date), Rule 85 a EPC and Article 122 EPC are potentionally immediately available as alternative remedies against the permanent loss of rights.

2. If the required fees and the surcharge are paid unconditionally within the period of grace provided by Rule 85 a EPC, the payment is immediately effective to cure the loss of rights and thereafter there are no lost rights which could be re-established under Article 122 EPC.

3. Accordingly, an applicant who wishes to keep open his option to proceed under Article 122 EPC, should file an application under that Article before he makes payment under Rule 85 a EPC and/or notify the EPO at the time of payment that the payment under the Rule is a supplementary measure and that he would prefer re-establishment under Article 122 EPC.

Keywords
Re-establishment of rights (denied)
Loss of rights already cured under Rule 85a EPC
Alternative remedies
Catchword
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Cited cases
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ORDER

For these reasons, it is decided that:

The appeal is dismissed.