Error message

Deprecated function: Using ${var} in strings is deprecated, use {$var} instead in include_once() (line 1442 of includes/bootstrap.inc).
Deprecated function: Using ${var} in strings is deprecated, use {$var} instead in include_once() (line 1442 of includes/bootstrap.inc).
Deprecated function: Optional parameter $type declared before required parameter $nid is implicitly treated as a required parameter in include_once() (line 1442 of includes/bootstrap.inc).

A.123 EPC Amendments

(1)

The European patent application or European patent may be amended in proceedings before the European Patent Office, in accordance with the Implementing Regulations. In any event, the applicant shall be given at least one opportunity to amend the application of his own volition.

(2)

The European patent application or European patent may not be amended in such a way that it contains subject-matter which extends beyond the content of the application as filed.

(3)

The European patent may not be amended in such a way as to extend the protection it confers.

[ Art. 100 138 R. 4 7 18 57 58 71 78 82 137 138 ]

Amended by the Act revising the European Patent Convention of 29.11.2000.

See decisions of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G 2/88, G 3/89, G 11/91, G 1/93, G 2/95, G 2/98, G 1/99, G 1/03, G 2/03, G 1/05, G 2/10, G 3/14, G 1/15, G 1/16 (Annex I).

Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2016/e/ar123.html

Date retrieved: 17 May 2021

1150 references found. Limiting display to 200 references.

Click X to load a reference inside the current page, click on the title to open in a new page.

EPC Articles

X Chapter I Common provisions governing procedure

X A.94 EPC Examination of the European patent application

X A.100 EPC Grounds for opposition

X A.105a EPC Article 105a Request for limitation or revocation

X A.105b EPC Article 105b Limitation or revocation of the European patent

X A.138 EPC Revocation of European patents

EPC Implementing Rules

X R.4 EPC Language in oral proceedings

X R.7 EPC Legal authenticity of the translation of the European patent application

X R.18 EPC Partial transfer of the right to the European patent

X R.57 EPC Examination as to formal requirements

X R.58 EPC Correction of deficiencies in the application documents

X R.70a EPC Rule 70a Response to the extended European search report

X R.71 EPC Examination procedure

X R.78 EPC Procedure where the proprietor of the patent is not entitled

X R.79 EPC Preparation of the examination of the opposition

X R.80 EPC Amendment of the European patent

X R.81 EPC Examination of opposition

X R.82 EPC Maintenance of the European patent in amended form

X R.95 EPC Decision on the request

X R.137 EPC Amendment of the European patent application

X R.138 EPC Different claims, description and drawings for different States

X R.161 EPC Amendment of the application

EPO Guidelines Foreword

X GL FOREWORD 2.1 Overview

EPO Guidelines - A Formalities Examination

X GL A III 15 Late filing of claims

X GL A IV 5 Applications relating to nucleotide and amino acid sequences

X GL A V 2.1 Filing of amendments

X GL A V 2.2 Examination of amendments as to formalities

X GL A VII 7 Correction and certification of the translation

X GL A IX 10 Amendments to drawings

EPO Guidelines - B Search

X GL B III 3.3.2 Specific rules applicable to Euro-PCT applications

X GL B VIII 3 No meaningful search possible

X GL B VIII 6 Claims contravening Art. 123(2) or Art. 76(1)

X GL B XI 2 Basis of the search opinion

X GL B XI 2.2 Applications containing claims filed after the accorded date of filing

X GL B XI 3.4 Extent of first analysis for generally deficient applications

X GL B XI 3.5 Contribution to the known art

EPO Guidelines - C Procedureal Aspects of Substantive Examination

X GL C III 1.1.2 Claims filed after accordance of a date of filing

X GL C III 2 Amendments made by applicants of their own volition

X GL C V 1.5 Other information in the communication under Rule 71(3)

X GL C V 4.3 Amendments or corrections should be reasoned

X GL C IX 1.4 Examination of a divisional application

EPO Guidelines - D Opposition and Limitation/Revocation Procedures

X GL D III 5 Grounds for opposition

X GL D IV 5.3 Filing of amended documents in reply to the notice of opposition

X GL D V 4 Insufficient disclosure of the invention

X GL D V 6.1 Basis of this ground for opposition

X GL D V 6.2 Distinction between allowable and unallowable amendments

X GL D X 4.3 Scope of the examination

X GL D X 4.5 Third-party observations during the examination

EPO Guidelines - E General Procedural Matters

X GL E III 8.3.3.2 Procedure in opposition proceedings

X GL E III 8.8 Use of Rule 137(4) for amendments filed during oral proceedings in examination

X GL E VI 3 Observations by third parties

X GL E XII 7.4.2 Amended main/single request filed with the appeal

EPO Guidelines - F The European Patent Application

X GL F II 4.3 Background art

X GL F II 5.2 Printing quality

X GL F II 5.3 Photographs

X GL F II 6.1 Reference to sequences disclosed in a database

X GL F III 2 Art. 83 vs. Art. 123(2)

X GL F IV 4.6.1 Clarity objections

X GL F IV 4.15 The expression "in"

X GL F IV 4.20 "Comprising" vs. "consisting of"

X GL F IV 6.2 Extent of generalisation

X GL F VI 2.2 The same invention

EPO Guidelines - G Patentability

X GL G VI 7.1 First or further medical use of known products

X GL G VII 11 Arguments and evidence submitted by the applicant

EPO Guidelines - H Amendments and Corrections

X GL H I add to the application or patent subject-matter which was not disclosed in the application as originally filed ( Art. 123(2) )

X GL H II 2.3.1.1 Rule 137(3) in conjunction with Article 83

X GL H II 2.3.1.2 Rule 137(3) in conjunction with Article 123(2)

X GL H II 2.5.4 Rule 137(4) applies to amendments filed at this stage

X GL H II 2.7.1 Concept of "clear allowability"

X GL H II 5 Amendments required by a limitation of the search under Rule 62a and/or Rule 63

X GL H II 6.2 Subject-matter taken from the description

X GL H III 2.1 Indication of amendments and their basis under Rule 137(4)

X GL H III 2.1.1 Rule 137(4) communication and response thereto

X GL H III 2.2 Amendment by submitting missing documents or by filing replacement pages

X GL H III 4.4 Different texts where national rights of earlier date exist

X GL H III 4.5 Opposition proceedings where the claims as granted are different for different contracting states

X GL H IV 2.1 Basic principle

X GL H IV 2.2 Content of the application as "originally" filed – general rules

X GL H IV 2.2.1 Features described in a document cross-referenced in the description

X GL H IV 2.2.3 Claims filed after the date of filing

X GL H IV 2.2.4 Sequence listings filed after the date of filing

X GL H IV 2.2.5 Priority documents

X GL H IV 2.2.6 Citation of prior art in the description after the filing date

X GL H IV 2.2.7 Clarifications

X GL H IV 2.2.8 Trade marks

X GL H IV 2.3.1 Applications filed by reference to an earlier application

X GL H IV 2.3.2 Divisional applications

X GL H IV 2.3.3 Applications resulting from a decision under Art. 61

X GL H IV 2.3.4 International applications

X GL H IV 2.4 Assessment of "added subject-matter" – examples

X GL H IV 3.1 Basic principles

X GL H IV 3.3 Version of the granted patent to be considered

X GL H IV 3.4 Assessment of impermissible extension of the protection conferred

X GL H IV 3.5 Conflicts between Art. 123(2) and Art. 123(3)

X GL H IV 3.6 Conflicts between Art. 123(3) and other requirements of the EPC

X GL H IV 4.3 In opposition proceedings

X GL H IV 4.4 In limitation proceedings

X GL H IV 4.4.2 Examination of the description and/or drawings

X GL H V 1 Introduction

X GL H V 2.1 Clarification of a technical effect

X GL H V 2.2 Introduction of further examples and new effects

X GL H V 2.4 Revision of stated technical problem

X GL H V 3.1 Replacement or removal of features from a claim

X GL H V 3.2 Inclusion of additional features

X GL H V 3.2.1 Intermediate generalisations

X GL H V 3.3 Deletion of part of the claimed subject-matter

X GL H V 3.4 Further cases of broadening of claims

X GL H V 3.5 Disclaimer disclosed in the application as originally filed

X GL H V 4.1 The subject-matter to be excluded is not disclosed in the application as originally filed (so-called undisclosed disclaimers)

X GL H V 4.2 The subject-matter to be excluded is disclosed in the application as originally filed

X GL H V 5 Amendments to drawings

X GL H V 6 Amendments derived from drawings

X GL H V 7 Changes in claim category in opposition

X GL H V 7.3 Method claim to product claim

X GL H VI 2.1.1.1 Errors in the description, claims and drawings

X GL H VI 2.2 Allowability

X GL H VI 2.2.1 Correction of description, claims and drawings

EPO PCT GL - C Procedureal Aspects Chapter II

X GL-PCT C III 4 Added subject-matter

EPO PCT GL - F (not assigned)

X GL-PCT FOREWORD 3.1 Annex I: EPC-PCT concordance table

EPO PCT GL - H Amendments and Corrections

X GL-PCT H II 1 Introduction

X GL-PCT H II 2.2.2.2 Review by the examiner

EPO Guide for Applicants, part II Int. - C The EPO as ISA and SISA

X GA C5.4.3 5.4.3.

Case Law Book: I Patentability

X CLR I C 2.4.1 European prior rights

Case Law Book: II Conditions to be met by an Application

X CLR II A 6.3.2 Relevance of Article 69 EPC

X CLR II A 6.3.3 Interpretation of ambiguous terms or confirmation of the text of a claim

X CLR II C 2 Date of compliance

X CLR II C 4.1 The disclosure is aimed at the skilled person

X CLR II D 3.1.2 ‍‍G 2/98 and the concept of disclosure – interpretation in the same way as for Art. 123(2) EPC

X CLR II D 4.1 Identity of invention

X CLR II D 5.3.3 Application of G 1/15 in the jurisprudence of the boards

X CLR II E Amendments

X CLR II E 1.1 General principles

X CLR II E 1.2.1 Description, claims and drawings

X CLR II E 1.2.2 Abstracts, titles, priority documents, parallel applications

X CLR II E 1.2.3 Language issues

X CLR II E 1.3.1 Gold standard: directly and unambiguously derivable

X CLR II E 1.3.2 Standpoint of the skilled person

X CLR II E 1.3.3 Implicit disclosure

X CLR II E 1.3.4.A Subject-matter merely rendered obvious by the content of the application

X CLR II E 1.3.5.A Consistency with original disclosure

X CLR II E 1.3.5.B Reasonable plausibility of the included feature

X CLR II E 1.3.6.B Indication in the description that subject-matter is known to the skilled person

X CLR II E 1.3.6.C Enabling disclosure

X CLR II E 1.3.7 Novelty test

X CLR II E 1.3.8 Non-technical subject-matter

X CLR II E 1.3.9 Claim interpretation when assessing compliance with Article 123(2) EPC

X CLR II E 1.4.1 Broadening of claim – permissible within the limits of the original disclosure

X CLR II E 1.4.2 Basis in the application as originally filed – gold standard

X CLR II E 1.4.4.C Decisions criticising the three-point test

X CLR II E 1.4.7 Elimination of contradictions and inconsistencies

X CLR II E 1.5.2 Forming a range with isolated value taken from example

X CLR II E 1.5.3 Setting new end-point with not expressly disclosed value

X CLR II E 1.6.1 Combination of features pertaining to separate embodiments; application as filed is not a "reservoir"

X CLR II E 1.6.2 Selection from two lists – singling out a combination of features

X CLR II E 1.6.3 Deletion of elements from lists – shrinking the lists without singling out a combination of features

X CLR II E 1.7.1 Definition

X CLR II E 1.7.2 Standards for examining disclosed and undisclosed disclaimers

X CLR II E 1.7.2.B Principles established in G 2/10 for disclosed disclaimers

X CLR II E 1.7.2.C Explanations in G 1/16

X CLR II E 1.7.3.B Drafting of disclaimers – disclaimer shall not remove more than is necessary

X CLR II E 1.7.3.F Undisclosed disclaimer must not be related to the teaching of the invention

X CLR II E 1.8.1 Replacing specific feature with more general term – no inclusion of undisclosed equivalents

X CLR II E 1.9 Intermediate generalisations

X CLR II E 1.11.3 Addition to the claim of features originally presented as prior art

X CLR II E 1.11.6 Addition of advantages and effects to the description

X CLR II E 1.11.7 Addition/change of claim category

X CLR II E 1.11.8 Insertion of an ambiguous feature in the claim

X CLR II E 1.11.9 Characteristic described for intermediate product added to the claimed end product

X CLR II E 1.13 Disclosure in drawings

X CLR II E 1.14.7 Replacement of complete description and drawings

X CLR II E 1.14.8 Deletion from the description of expressions making features optional

X CLR II E 1.15 "Comprises", "consists of", "consists essentially of", "contains"

X CLR II E 2 ‍‍Article 123(3) EPC – extension of the protection conferred

X CLR II E 2.1 Purpose of Article 123(3) EPC

X CLR II E 2.2 Totality of claims

X CLR II E 2.3.1 ‍‍Article 123(3) EPC and Article 69 EPC

X CLR II E 2.3.2 Cut-off point

X CLR II E 2.3.3 General claim interpretation

X CLR II E 2.4.1 Deletion of a limiting feature in a claim

X CLR II E 2.4.5 Deletion of a drawing

X CLR II E 2.4.6 Deletion of feature in a claim mentioned "in particular"

X CLR II E 2.4.8 Reducing scope of claim by adding embodiments to a negative feature

X CLR II E 2.4.10 Replacement of an inaccurate technical statement in a claim

X CLR II E 2.4.12 Replacement of substance by device containing substance or substance with mechanical device

X CLR II E 2.4.13 Replacement by aliud

X CLR II E 2.4.14 Narrowing down a generic class or list of chemical compounds; open claims ("comprising"); sequential drafting ("cascade")

X CLR II E 2.6.1.C From product claim to a claim directed to using a product for producing another product – Article 64(2) EPC

X CLR II E 2.6.6 From use claim to Swiss-type claim

X CLR II E 2.6.7 From Swiss-type claim to purpose related product claim under Article 54(5) EPC

X CLR II E 3 Relationship between Article 123(2) and Article 123(3) EPC

X CLR II E 3.1 Inescapable trap

X CLR II E 3.2 Attempts to resolve the conflict

X CLR II E 3.3 Addition to the claim of an undisclosed feature limiting protection conferred, without providing a technical contribution

X CLR II E 4.1 Relationship of Rule 139 EPC with Article 123(2) and (3) EPC

X CLR II E 4.2 Obviousness of the error and the correction

X CLR II E 4.2.1 Documents to be taken into account for the assessment of obvious error and correction

X CLR II E 4.2.3 Obvious correction – immediately evident that nothing else would have been intended than what is offered as the correction

X CLR II E 4.3 Correction of errors in the description, claims and drawings after grant, and in opposition proceedings

X CLR II E 5 Evidence and standard of proof for allowing amendments and corrections

X CLR II F 1 Introduction