I.

PATENTABILITY

A.

Exceptions to patentability

1.

Product claims for plants or plant material

G 3/19 14.05.20

2

2.

Medical method

2.1

One surgical step in a multi-step method

T 1631/17 3.2.08 31.07.20

4

B.

Novelty

1.

Availability to the public – obligation to maintain secrecy

T 72/16 3.2.05 20.02.20

5

2.

Ascertaining differences – distinguishing features

T 1930/14 3.3.04 28.11.19

6

3.

Chemical inventions and selection inventions – lists

T 2350/16 3.2.05 18.10.19

7

4.

Second medical use

T 264/17 3.3.10 22.09.20

8

5.

Second (or further) non-medical use

T 1385/15 3.3.10 03.12.19

8

C.

Inventive step

1.

Distinction between plausibility and obviousness

T 184/16 3.3.02 12.12.19

10

2.

Closest prior art – most promising starting point

T 1450/16 3.5.03 17.01.20

T 787/17 3.2.05 11.10.19

10

12

3.

The skilled person's level of knowledge

T 1601/15 3.2.05 04.12.19

13

4.

Effect not made credible within the whole scope of claim – neural network

T 161/18 3.5.05 12.05.20

13

5.

Assessment of inventive step

5.1

Technical character of an invention

T 1798/13 3.5.01 25.05.20

14

5.2

The aim to be achieved in the formulation of the technical problem

T 1749/14 3.5.01 03.04.20

T 232/14 3.5.01 06.10.20

T 2314/16 3.5.01 07.09.20

15

16

17

II.

PATENT APPLICATION AND AMENDMENTS

A.

Claims

1.

Clarity of claims – indication of all essential features

T 2574/16 3.5.07 21.11.19

19

2.

Clarity of a claim specifying a norm or standard – unspecified features and relative qualities

T 3003/18 3.4.02 12.02.20

20

3.

Claims supported by the description

T 695/16 3.2.07 05.05.20

21

4.

Claim terms with a well-established meaning in the art – use of the description

T 1642/17 3.3.04 16.11.20

22

B.

Unity of invention

1.

Determining whether one or several "inventions" – complete search – refund of further search fee

T 1414/18 3.5.03 15.07.20

23

C.

Sufficiency of disclosure

1.

Reproducibility – neural network

T 161/18 3.5.05 12.05.20

25

2.

Level of disclosure required for medical use – plausibility

T 184/16 3.3.02 12.12.19

26

D.

Priority

1.

Right of priority of the applicant or its successor in title

1.1

Identity of applicants – multiple applicants in the priority application

T 844/18 3.3.08 16.01.20

27

E.

Amendments

1.

Article 123(2) EPC – added subject-matter

1.1

Disclosure derived from the whole of the application as filed

T 1121/17 3.3.07 16.10.20

30

1.2

Forming a range by combination of end-points of disclosed ranges

T 113/19 3.3.05 17.01.20

31

1.3

Selection from lists – converging alternatives

T 1621/16 3.3.06 14.10.19

32

1.4

Disclosed disclaimers

T 1525/15 3.2.05 14.01.20

34

2.

Extension of the protection conferred

2.1

Change of claim category

T 653/16 3.2.04 24.01.20

34

F.

Divisional applications

1.

Designation of contracting states in a divisional application

J 12/18 3.1.01 19.05.20

35

III.

RULES COMMON TO ALL PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE EPO

A.

Right to be heard

1.

The right to be heard in oral proceedings

T 1414/18 3.5.03 15.07.20

37

B.

Oral proceedings

1.

Oral proceedings held by videoconference

T 1378/16 3.5.03 08.05.20

T 492/18 3.2.04 12.10.20

38

39

C.

Law of evidence

1.

Evaluation of evidence by the department of first instance

T 1418/17 3.2.01 17.07.20

T 1057/15  3.5.03 29.09.20

T 1604/16 3.2.02 07.12.20

40

41

41

D.

Suspected partiality

1.

Suspected partiality of members of the departments of first instance

1.1

Remittal and rehearing of a case

T 2475/17 3.2.05 09.03.20

43

E.

Formal aspects of decisions of EPO departments

T 989/19 3.5.03 25.05.20

45

F.

Apportionment of costs

T 101/17 3.2.04 29.01.20

46

G.

Rules relating to Fees

1.

No refund of duly paid renewal fees on account of time taken for examination proceedings

T 2069/18 3.5.05 21.01.20

46

2.

Debit orders – underpayment of the fee for appeal

T 2620/18 3.2.06 16.09.20

T 3023/18 3.3.09 06.12.19

48

48

IV.

PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE DEPARTMENTS OF FIRST INSTANCE

A.

Examination procedure

1.

Decisions with no text submitted or agreed by the applicant (Article 113(2) EPC)

T 2277/19 3.2.02 11.12.19

49

2.

Approval of the text by the applicant

T 265/20 3.5.05 26.10.20

50

3.

Amendments after the decision to grant

T 646/20 3.2.04 11.11.20

52

4.

Withdrawal of the patent application

4.1

Correction of the withdrawal of the application under Rule 139 EPC

J 6/19 3.1.01 15.01.20

J 7/19 3.1.01 15.01.20

53

54

B.

Opposition procedure

1.

Filing and admissibility requirements – payment of opposition fee

T 1000/19 3.3.03 20.03.20

55

2.

Late submissions – concept of "in due time"

T 2734/16 3.2.03 15.10.19

56

3.

Amendments in opposition proceedings

3.1

Rule 80 EPC

T 2450/17 3.3.05 10.01.20

T 1285/15 3.2.05 18.11.19

T 2063/15 3.2.06 12.12.19

T 1764/17 3.2.04 22.09.20

57

58

58

59

3.2

Time frame for filing amendments

T 756/18 3.2.07 16.12.19

T 966/17 3.2.01 30.10.20

T 84/17 3.3.06 22.09.20

59

60

61

V.

PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE BOARDS OF APPEAL

A.

Appeal procedure

1.

RPBA 2020

1.1

Primary object of the appeal proceedings – Article 12(2) RPBA 2020

T 1604/16 3.2.02 07.12.20

63

1.2

Reasons for decisions in abridged form

T 1687/17 3.2.01 09.01.20

T 2227/15 3.2.07 29.01.20

64

64

2.

Party adversely affected (Article 107 EPC)

T 265/20 3.5.05 26.10.20

65

3.

Reduced fee for appeal filed by a natural person or an entity

T 1060/19 3.5.06 11.02.20

T 225/19 3.2.05 16.10.20

T 3023/18 3.3.09 06.12.19

T 2620/18 3.2.06 16.09.20

67

67

68

69

4.

Content of the statement of grounds of appeal

T 2884/18 3.2.01 28.05.20

71

5.

Review of first-instance discretionary decisions

T 2603/18 3.2.06 20.02.20

T 467/15 3.5.02 10.12.19

T 487/16 3.2.06 30.04.20

T 617/16 3.5.03 10.07.20

T 2049/16 3.2.05 06.10.20

72

72

73

73

74

6.

New submissions on appeal

6.1

Late submission of new arguments

T 1875/15 3.3.02 03.12.19

74

6.2

Principles applying to late submissions – inter partes proceedings – RPBA 2007

T 369/15 3.2.05 02.10.19

75

6.3

Article 12(4) RPBA 2007

T 101/17 3.2.04 29.01.20

76

6.4

State of proceedings – procedural economy – RPBA 2007

T 2734/16 3.2.03 15.10.19

77

6.5

Amendment to a party's case – RPBA 2020

T 1480/16 3.2.01 05.02.20

T 482/19 3.2.01 12.10.20

T 995/18 3.2.01 22.10.20

T 1217/17 3.2.01 25.09.20

77

78

79

80

6.6

Submissions made in the statement of grounds or the reply – first stage of the appeal proceedings – Article 12(3) to (6) RPBA 2020

J 12/18 3.1.01 19.05.20

J 14/18 3.1.01 19.05.20

80

81

6.7

Submissions made after filing of statement of grounds or reply – second stage of the appeal proceedings – Article 13(1) RPBA 2020

6.7.1

New lines of attack in respect of inventive step based on documents submitted during first-instance proceedings – not admitted

T 256/17 3.2.07 17.04.20

82

6.7.2

New documents in response to experimental data submitted by the patent proprietor – admitted

T 23/17 3.3.03 30.01.20

83

6.8

Submissions made after notification of summons – third stage of the appeal proceedings – transitional cases

6.8.1

Simultaneous application of Article 13 RPBA 2007 and Article 13(1) RPBA 2020

T 634/16 3.2.06 10.01.20

T 32/16 3.2.06 14.01.20

T 2227/15 3.2.07 29.01.20

T 1597/16 3.2.03 14.01.20

T 584/17 3.4.02 10.02.20

84

85

85

86

86

6.8.2

Applicability of Article 13(2) RPBA 2020 in cases of postponement of oral proceedings

T 950/16 3.2.08 25.09.20

87

6.8.3

New request in response to preliminary opinion of the board clarifying a party's objections – admitted

T 32/16 3.2.06 14.01.20

87

6.8.4

New auxiliary requests in response to the board's preliminary opinion – fundamental importance of the point at issue already clear beforehand – not admitted

T 136/16 3.2.06 03.03.20

89

6.8.5

Inventive step attack substantiated for the first time at oral proceedings – not admitted

T 2227/15 3.2.07 29.01.20

90

6.8.6

Limitation not leading to any new disputed points of fact or patent law and prima facie allowable – requests admitted

T 1597/16 3.2.03 14.01.20

90

6.8.7

Request does not prima facie overcome objection – not admitted

T 1187/15 3.2.02 20.01.20

91

6.9

Submissions made after notification of summons – third stage of appeal proceedings – Article 13(2) RPBA 2020

6.9.1

Oral proceedings cancelled after notification of summons – Article 13(2) RPBA 2020 still applies

T 2279/16 3.4.03 03.06.20

92

6.9.2

New request based on request filed with statement of grounds and overcoming new objections raised in board's communication – admitted

T 1278/18 3.2.03 04.06.20

94

6.9.3

New request based on request filed in response to reply of the respondent and containing editorial amendments to remove inconsistencies – admitted

T 131/18 3.2.04 02.10.20

94

6.9.4

New request in response to board's preliminary opinion based on earlier objections – not admitted

T 1187/16 3.5.02 13.07.20

95

6.9.5

New request in response to objections which do not go beyond the framework of the board's initial objection – not admitted

T 2214/15 3.5.02 21.07.20

96

6.9.6

New request in response to change in the board's opinion – not admitted as objection and arguments already known

T 752/16 3.5.03 27.08.20

98

6.9.7

Amendment not adding anything of substance to the discussion of the objection raised – not admitted

T 953/16 3.5.03 14.04.20

99

6.9.8

New document and new lines of attack in response to board's preliminary opinion which was exclusively based on earlier submissions – not admitted

T 908/19 3.2.04 25.05.20

99

7.

Remittal to the department of first instance

7.1

Article 11 RPBA 2020 – special reasons

T 731/17 3.5.07 15.01.20

T 1966/16 3.3.07 20.01.20

T 1531/16 3.2.07 25.05.20

T 3247/19 3.2.07 04.03.20

T 350/17 3.3.06 04.09.20

100

101

101

102

102

7.2

Incomplete search

T 547/14 3.5.01 29.01.20

T 97/14 3.5.01 25.05.20

103

104

7.3

Remittal for adaptation of the description

T 32/16 3.2.06 14.01.20

104

7.4

Ordering a different composition of the department of first instance

T 2475/17 3.2.05 09.03.20

105

8.

Reimbursement of appeal fees

8.1

Substantial procedural violation

T 74/17 3.2.04 16.09.20

105

8.2

Excessive length of proceedings

T 1243/17 3.5.06 04.12.20

106

8.3

Withdrawal of appeal or withdrawal of request for oral proceedings under Rule 103(4) EPC (25%)

T 1610/15 3.2.05 09.10.20

T 777/15 3.3.01 17.11.20

T 1730/16 3.3.01 28.10.20

T 73/17 3.2.07 15.06.20

T 517/17 3.5.03 27.10.20

T 2044/16 3.2.01 24.06.20

T 110/18 3.3.05 12.06.20

T 1678/17 3.5.05 30.06.20

107

108

108

109

110

111

112

113

B.

Proceedings before the Enlarged Board of Appeal

1.

Referral by the President of the EPO

G 3/19 14.05.20

113

2.

Grounds for petition for review

2.1

Article 112a(2)(c) EPC – alleged fundamental violation of Article 113 EPC

R 10/18 17.12.20

115