If the patent proprietors are not the same for different designated contracting states, the unity of the European patent in opposition proceedings will not be affected, since such persons are to be regarded as joint proprietors (see D‑I, 6, second and third paragraphs).[Art. 118; ]

In particular, the text of the European patent will be uniform for all designated contracting states unless otherwise provided for in the EPC (see D‑VII, 3.2, and H‑III, 4).