European Patent Office

T 0727/19 du 01.04.2022

Identifiant européen de la jurisprudence
ECLI:EP:BA:2022:T072719.20220401
Date de la décision
1 avril 2022
Numéro de l'affaire
T 0727/19
Requête en révision de
-
Numéro de la demande
11772975.6
Classe de la CIB
A47J 31/44A47J 31/46
Langue de la procédure
Anglais
Distribution
Distribuées aux présidents et aux membres des chambres de recours (B)
Téléchargement
Décision en anglais
Versions JO
Aucun lien JO trouvé
Autres décisions pour cet affaire
-
Résumés pour cette décision
-
Titre de la demande
BEVERAGE MACHINE FOR DIFFERENT SPATIAL ENVIRONMENTS
Nom du demandeur
Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.
Nom de l'opposant
Koninklijke Douwe Egberts BV
Chambre
3.2.04
Sommaire
-
Dispositions juridiques pertinentes
European Patent Convention Art 111(1)European Patent Convention Art 19(2)European Patent Convention Art 21(1)European Patent Convention Art 24European Patent Convention R 103(1)(a)European Patent Convention R 113(1)Guidelines_Part E, Chapter XGuidelines_Part E, Chapter XIRules of procedure of the Boards of Appeal 2020 Art 011
Mots-clés
Justified suspicion of partiality (yes)
Substantial procedural violation - (yes)
Remittal - fundamental deficiency in first-instance proceedings (yes)
Remittal - re-examination of the case ab initio
New composition of the first-instance department ordered
Prohibition of reformatio in peius (no)
Reimbursement of appeal fee - (yes)
Exergue
1. The Guidelines, Part E, Chapter XI, set out the procedure whereby the reasons of a responsible superior's decision rejecting a challenge to the impartiality of a division can be appealed. This procedure does not make the responsible superior's decision formally appealable (Reasons 2.3 and 2.4)
2. The unexplained omission of the reasons of the responsible superior's decision from the final decision of the division justifies the suspicion of partiality and constitutes a substantial procedural violation (Reasons 2.9 and 2.15)
3. The principle of the prohibition of "reformatio in peius" is not applicable where a case is to be remitted to a division in a new composition because of a suspicion of partiality (Reasons 5.5 and 5.6)
Affaires citantes
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Order

For these reasons it is decided that:

1. The decision under appeal is set aside.

2. The case is remitted for further prosecution to an Opposition Division to be re-constituted in a new composition pursuant to Article 19(2) EPC replacing all members.

3. The appeal fee is reimbursed.