T 0727/19 of 01.04.2022
- European Case Law Identifier
- ECLI:EP:BA:2022:T072719.20220401
- Date of decision
- 1 April 2022
- Case number
- T 0727/19
- Petition for review of
- -
- Application number
- 11772975.6
- IPC class
- A47J 31/44A47J 31/46
- Language of proceedings
- English
- Distribution
- Distributed to board chairmen and members (B)
- Download
- Decision in English
- OJ versions
- No OJ links found
- Other decisions for this case
- -
- Abstracts for this decision
- -
- Application title
- BEVERAGE MACHINE FOR DIFFERENT SPATIAL ENVIRONMENTS
- Applicant name
- Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.
- Opponent name
- Koninklijke Douwe Egberts BV
- Board
- 3.2.04
- Headnote
- -
- Relevant legal provisions
- European Patent Convention Art 111(1)European Patent Convention Art 19(2)European Patent Convention Art 21(1)European Patent Convention Art 24European Patent Convention R 103(1)(a)European Patent Convention R 113(1)Guidelines_Part E, Chapter XGuidelines_Part E, Chapter XIRules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 011
- Keywords
- Justified suspicion of partiality (yes)
Substantial procedural violation - (yes)
Remittal - fundamental deficiency in first-instance proceedings (yes)
Remittal - re-examination of the case ab initio
New composition of the first-instance department ordered
Prohibition of reformatio in peius (no)
Reimbursement of appeal fee - (yes) - Catchword
- 1. The Guidelines, Part E, Chapter XI, set out the procedure whereby the reasons of a responsible superior's decision rejecting a challenge to the impartiality of a division can be appealed. This procedure does not make the responsible superior's decision formally appealable (Reasons 2.3 and 2.4)
2. The unexplained omission of the reasons of the responsible superior's decision from the final decision of the division justifies the suspicion of partiality and constitutes a substantial procedural violation (Reasons 2.9 and 2.15)
3. The principle of the prohibition of "reformatio in peius" is not applicable where a case is to be remitted to a division in a new composition because of a suspicion of partiality (Reasons 5.5 and 5.6) - Citing cases
- -
Order
For these reasons it is decided that:
1. The decision under appeal is set aside.
2. The case is remitted for further prosecution to an Opposition Division to be re-constituted in a new composition pursuant to Article 19(2) EPC replacing all members.
3. The appeal fee is reimbursed.