BOARDS OF APPEAL
Information from the Boards of Appeal of the EPO
ANNEX 4
REFERRALS TO THE ENLARGED BOARD OF APPEAL1
Referrals by boards of appeal
Die Juristische Beschwerdekammer 3.1.01 hat in Sachen J 21/09 mit Entscheidung vom 1. August 2011 der Großen Beschwerdekammer gemäß Artikel 112 (1) a) EPÜ folgende Rechtsfrage vorgelegt:
"Ist für die Behandlung einer Beschwerde gegen eine Entscheidung der Prüfungsabteilung über die Nichtrückzahlung von Recherchengebühren gemäß Regel 64 (2) EPÜ, die nicht zusammen mit einer Entscheidung über die Erteilung eines europäischen Patents oder die Zurückweisung einer europäischen Patentanmeldung erlassen worden ist, eine Technische Beschwerdekammer oder die Juristische Beschwerdekammer zuständig?"
Das Verfahren ist anhängig unter dem Aktenzeichen G 1/11.
In accordance with Article 112(1)(a) EPC, Technical Board of Appeal 3.3.07 referred the following points of law to the Enlarged Board of Appeal by interlocutory decision of 30 January 2012 in case T 445/08:
(1) When a notice of appeal, in compliance with Rule 99(1)(a) EPC, contains the name and the address of the appellant as provided in Rule 41(2)(c) EPC and it is alleged that the identification is wrong due to an error, the true intention having been to file on behalf of the legal person which should have filed the appeal, is a request for substituting this other legal or natural person admissible as a remedy to "deficiencies" within the meaning of Rule 101(2) EPC?
(2) If the answer is yes, what kind of evidence is to be considered to establish the true intention?
(3) If the answer to the first question is no, may the appellant's intention nevertheless play a role and justify the application of Rule 139 EPC?
(4) If the answer to questions (1) and (3) is no, are there any possibilities other than restitutio in integrum (when applicable)?
The case is pending as G 1/12.
1 The referrals to the Enlarged Board of Appeal are published in Annex 4 in the language of the proceedings only.