European Patent Office

T 0272/95 (Admissibility of joint opposition or joint appeal) of 15.04.1999

European Case Law Identifier
ECLI:EP:BA:1999:T027295.19990415
Date of decision
15 April 1999
Case number
T 0272/95
Petition for review of
-
Application number
83307553.4
IPC class
C12N 15/16
Language of proceedings
English
Distribution
Published in the EPO's Official Journal (A)
Abstracts for this decision
-
Application title
Molecular cloning and characterization of a further gene sequence coding for human relaxin
Applicant name
Howard Florey Institute of Experimental Physiology and Medicine
Opponent name
Aglietta, Amendola et al., Fraktion der Grünen im EP
Board
3.3.04
Headnote

The following questions are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal: 1. Is an opposition admissible which otherwise meets the requirements of Article 99 EPC and Rule 55 EPC if it is filed jointly by two or more persons and only one opposition fee is paid?

2. If the answer to question 1 is in the affirmative and a common representative was named under Rule 100(1) EPC in the notice of opposition, is an appeal valid even if it is not filed by this person?

3. If the answers to questions 1 and 2 are in the affirmative, which other requirements, if any, have to be met by a joint opposition or a joint appeal in order to safeguard the rights of the patent proprietor?

Keywords
Joint oppositions - fees due - common representative - joint appeals - admissibility - important point of law - referral to the Enlarged Board of Appeal
Catchword
-

ORDER

For these reasons it is decided that:

The following questions are referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal:

1. Is an opposition admissible which otherwise meets the requirements of Article 99 EPC and Rule 55 EPC if it is filed jointly by two or more persons and only one opposition fee is paid?

2. If the answer to question 1 is in the affirmative and a common representative was named under Rule 100(1) EPC in the notice of opposition, is an appeal valid even if it is not filed by this person?

3. If the answers to questions 1 and 2 are in the affirmative, which other requirements, if any, have to be met by a joint opposition or a joint appeal in order to safeguard the rights of the patent proprietor?