ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL
Decisions of the Administrative Council
Decision of the Administrative Council of 5 June 1987 amending Rules 24 and 36 of the Implementing Regulations to the European Patent Convention1
THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT ORGANISATION,
having regard to the European Patent Convention (hereinafter referred to as "the Convention"), and in particular Article 33, paragraph 1(b), thereof, on a proposal from the President of the European Patent Office,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
Rule 24, paragraph 1, of the Convention shall be amended to read as follows:
"European patent applications may be filed in writing with the authorities referred to in Article 75 either directly or by post. The President of the European Patent Office may permit European patent applications to be filed by other means of communication and lay down conditions governing their use. He may, in particular, require that within such period as the European Patent Office shall specify written confirmation be supplied reproducing the contents of applications so filed and complying with the requirements of these Implementing Regulations."
Article 2
Rule 36, paragraph 5, of the Convention shall be amended to read as follows:
"Notwithstanding paragraphs 2 to 4 the President of the European Patent Office may permit documents filed after filing of the European patent application to be transmitted to the European Patent Office by other means of communication and lay down conditions governing their use. He may, in particular, require that within a period laid down by him written confirmation be supplied reproducing the contents of documents so filed and complying with the requirements of these Implementing Regulations; if such confirmation is not supplied in due time, the documents shall be deemed not to have been received."
Article 3
The President of the European Patent Office shall forward a certified copy of this Decision to all signatory States to the Convention and to the States which accede thereto.
Article 4
This Decision shall enter into force on 1 October 1987.
Done at Vienna, 5 June 1987.
For the Administrative Council
The Chairman
O. LEBERL
1 Cf. the decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 29 July 1987 on the use of technical means of communication for filing European patent applications, international applications and other documents, OJ EPO 7/1987, p. 323.