European Patent Office

T 0738/20 of 11.07.2024

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:2024:T073820.20240711
Date of decision
11 July 2024
Case number
T 0738/20
Petition for review of
-
Application number
14702938.3
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
No distribution (D)
OJ versions
No OJ links found
Other decisions for this case
-
Abstracts for this decision
-
Application title
SECURITY DEVICES AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF
Applicant name
De La Rue International Limited
Opponent name
CCL Secure Pty Ltd
Leonhard Kurz Stiftung & Co. KG
Board
3.4.03
Headnote
-
Relevant legal provisions
European Patent Convention Art 100(a)European Patent Convention Art 111(1)European Patent Convention Art 112a(2)(c)European Patent Convention Art 52(1)European Patent Convention Art 54(1)European Patent Convention Art 54(2)European Patent Convention R 100(2)European Patent Convention R 106Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 011Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 012(4)Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 012(6)Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 012(8)Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 013(1)Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 013(2)Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 015(4)Rules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 015(6)
Keywords
Novelty - main request (no)
Late-filed request - justification for late filing (yes)
Late-filed request - admitted (yes)
Late-filed evidence - justification for late filing (yes)
Late-filed evidence - admitted (yes)
Stay of proceedings in view of a pending referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal (no)
Obligation to raise objections - objection raised (yes)
Obligation to raise objections - objection dismissed
Remittal to the department of first instance
Catchword
1. Parties are free to formulate requests conditional on the board's findings on questions to be decided. The condition may also relate to the board's underlying reasons. (Reasons 4.4)
2. A party cannot, through such conditional requests, oblige the board to provide its full reasons for its decision before the final decision is issued. (Reasons 4.6)
3. Conditional requests that are conditional on the board's reasons can also contribute to procedural efficiency and can help the board to reach a decision without having to discuss issues that may turn out not to be decisive for the final outcome of the appeal. However, such requests do not bind a board in the sense that a party can oblige the board to conduct the proceedings only in a particular order or only restricted to particular issues as a party wishes, thereby possibly avoiding undesirable outcomes for that party. In proceedings involving several parties other parties are also free to argue why the board should not allow such a conditional request. In principle, the board is free to conduct the proceedings in any appropriate order and to discuss any issue, as long as the relevant substantive and procedural requests of the parties are properly considered and decided. (Reasons 4.7 and 4.8)
Cited cases
T 0439/22
Citing cases
T 1659/22T 0925/23

Order

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. The decision under appeal is set aside.

2. The case is remitted to the opposition division for further prosecution.