8.3.3 Case law concerning oral proceedings held after the end of pandemic measures at the Boards of Appeal
In T 1946/21 the appellant’s and the intervener’s representative requested that oral proceedings be held in a mixed-mode format to allow the representatives to attend the hearing in person and other attendees to attend remotely. The board did not grant this request, reasoning that from the request for mixed-mode oral proceedings, it had not been apparent how the participation of additional "other attendees" was relevant to the case. Citing G 4/95, the board stated that it might permit submissions made by persons who were not professional representatives but this required a reasoned request to that effect. Absent any such request, the board saw no reasons which would outweigh the increased technical and organisational complexity caused by setting up and operating an additional parallel hybrid channel while running in-person proceedings at which all parties are already fully represented and in which all attendees may participate as well.