European Patent Office

G 0004/98 (Designation fees) du 27.11.2000

Identifiant européen de la jurisprudence
ECLI:EP:BA:2000:G000498.20001127
Date de la décision
27 novembre 2000
Numéro de l'affaire
G 0004/98
Requête en révision de
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Numéro de la demande
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Classe de la CIB
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Langue de la procédure
Anglais
Distribution
Publiées au Journal officiel de l'OEB (A)
Téléchargement
Décision en anglais
Autres décisions pour cet affaire
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Résumés pour cette décision
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Titre de la demande
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Nom du demandeur
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Nom de l'opposant
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Sommaire

I. Without prejudice to Article 67(4) EPC, the designation of a Contracting State party to the EPC in a European patent application does not retroactively lose its legal effect and is not deemed never to have taken place if the relevant designation fee has not been paid within the applicable time limit.

II. The deemed withdrawal of the designation of a Contracting State provided for in Article 91(4) EPC takes effect upon expiry of the time limits mentioned in Article 79(2), Rules 15(2), 25(2) and 107(1) EPC, as applicable, and not upon expiry of the period of grace provided by Rule 85a EPC.

Mots-clés
Failure to pay designation fees
No retroactive effect of deemed withdrawal except for Article 67 EPC
Deemed withdrawal takes effect upon expiry of the time limit for payment of designation fees
Exergue
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Conclusion

For the reasons set forth above, the Enlarged Board of Appeal gives the following opinion on the questions referred to it by the President of the EPO:

Question 1.a):

Without prejudice to Article 67(4) EPC, the designation of a Contracting State party to the EPC in a European patent application does not retroactively lose its legal effect and is not deemed never to have taken place if the relevant designation fee has not been paid within the applicable time limit.

Questions 1.b) to d):

No answers required.

Question 2:

The deemed withdrawal of the designation of a Contracting State provided for in Article 91(4) EPC takes effect upon expiry of the time limits mentioned in Article 79(2), Rules 15(2), 25(2) and 107(1) EPC, as applicable, and not upon expiry of the period of grace provided by Rule 85a EPC.