The absence of parties from oral proceedings is in general governed by R. 115(2) EPC and – for the boards of appeal – by Art. 15(3) RPBA 2007. Concerning non-attendance at oral proceedings before the examining division, see also the notice from the EPO published in OJ 2008, 471.
Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/caselaw/2019/e/clr_iii_c_5.htm
Date retrieved: 17 May 2021