Article 53 29

Exceptions to patentability

Art. 100, 138, 167
R. 23d, 23e



European patents shall not be granted in respect of:


(a) inventions the publication or exploitation of which would be contrary to "ordre public" or morality, provided that the exploitation shall not be deemed to be so contrary merely because it is prohibited by law or regulation in some or all of the Contracting States;


(b) plant or animal varieties or essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals; this provision does not apply to microbiological processes or the products thereof.



29 See decisions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G 3/95, G 1/98, G 1/03, G 2/03 (Annex I).

Cross-reference list
Art. 53 Art. 53

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