European Patent Office

T 2473/12 of 05.11.2013

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:2013:T247312.20131105
Date of decision
5 November 2013
Case number
T 2473/12
Petition for review of
-
Application number
05780357.9
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
Distributed to board chairmen (C)
OJ versions
No OJ links found
Other decisions for this case
-
Abstracts for this decision
-
Application title
Adhesive compositions for optical fibers
Applicant name
THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
Mitachi, Seiko
Opponent name
-
Board
3.3.09
Headnote

(1) Under Rule 164(2) EPC an applicant is not entitled to limit the application to an invention covered only by the international search report and have the corresponding claims examined for patentability: T 1981/12 applied (points 3.5, 4.3 and 4.4 of the reasons).

(2) The effect of Rule 164(2) EPC whereby a national of a non-EPC contracting state may be obliged to file one or more divisional applications in order to obtain protection for subject matter not covered by the supplementary European search report does not amount to different national treatment within the meaning of Article 2(1) of the Paris Convention (point 5.4 of the reasons).

(3) Under Rule 164(2) EPC an applicant who limits the application to an invention covered by the international search report but not to one covered by the supplementary European search report is not entitled to have a further search drawn up by the EPO (point 6 of the reasons).

Relevant legal provisions
European Patent Convention R 164(2)Paris Convention Art 002(1)
Keywords
Applicant entitled to pursue subject-matter not covered by supplementary European search report (no)
Applicant entitled to have further search drawn up (no)
Conflict with Paris Convention (no)
Reimbursement of appeal fee (no)
Catchword
-
Citing cases
T 0557/13

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. The appeal is dismissed.

2. The request for reimbursement of the appeal fee is refused.