OJ EPO 2013, 601

The President of the European Patent Office, having regard to Articles 10(2)(a) and 20 EPC, has decided as follows:

Article 1

Entrustment to formalities officers of specific duties incumbent on the Legal Division

Within the framework of the responsibilities of the Legal Division, certain employees (formalities officers) who are not legally qualified members of the Legal Division shall be entrusted with the following duties:

1. Registration of transfers of rights and changes of name in the European Patent Register, if the request can be granted directly (Rules 22, 85 EPC).

2. Registration of the rectification of the designation of an inventor in the European Patent Register, if the request can be granted directly (Rule 21 EPC).

3. Communications concerning obvious formal deficiencies under Rules 21 and 22 EPC.

Article 2

Competence of the Legal Division to take decisions itself

Delegation of a duty under Article 1 to an employee who is not a legally qualified member of the Legal Division shall not affect the competence of the Legal Division to take decisions itself.

Article 3

Entry into force

This decision shall enter into force on 1 January 2014.

Done at Munich, 21 November 2013

Benoît BATTISTELLI

President