European Patent Convention (EPC 1973)

Rule 14 15 Limitation of the option to withdraw the European patent application

Art. 61, 79

As from the time when a third party proves to the European Patent Office that he has initiated proceedings concerning entitlement and up to the date on which the European Patent Office resumes the proceedings for grant, neither the European patent application nor the designation of any Contracting State may be withdrawn.

15 See decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G 3/92 (Annex I).