G 0002/10 (Disclaimer/SCRIPPS) of 30.8.2011

European Case Law Identifier: ECLI:EP:BA:2011:G000210.20110830
Date of decision: 30 August 2011
Case number: G 0002/10
Referral: T 1068/07
Application number: 98920015.9
IPC class: C12Q 1/68
Language of proceedings: EN
Distribution: A
Download and more information:
Decision text in EN (PDF, 230 KB)
Documentation of the appeal procedure can be found in the Register
Bibliographic information is available in: EN
Versions: OJ | Published
Title of application: Enzymatic DNA molecules
Applicant name: THE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Opponent name: -
Board: EBA
Headnote: The question referred to the Enlarged Board of Appeal is answered as follows:
1a. An amendment to a claim by the introduction of a disclaimer disclaiming from it subject-matter disclosed in the application as filed infringes Article 123(2) EPC if the subject-matter remaining in the claim after the introduction of the disclaimer is not, be it explicitly or implicitly, directly and unambiguously disclosed to the skilled person using common general knowledge, in the application as filed.
1b. Determining whether or not that is the case requires a technical assessment of the overall technical circumstances of the individual case under consideration, taking into account the nature and extent of the disclosure in the application as filed, the nature and extent of the disclaimed subject-matter and its relationship with the subject-matter remaining in the claim after the amendment.
Relevant legal provisions:
European Patent Convention Art 54(2)
European Patent Convention Art 54(3)
European Patent Convention Art 56
European Patent Convention Art 61(1)(b)
European Patent Convention Art 76(1)
European Patent Convention Art 83
European Patent Convention Art 84
European Patent Convention Art 87(1)
European Patent Convention Art 123(2)
European Patent Convention Art 123(3)
Napp Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd v. Ratiopharm GmbH and Sandoz Ltd, Court of Appeal (England and Wales), [2009] EWCA Civ 252
Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals B.V. v. Sandoz B.V., District Court of The Hague of 7 April 2010, case no. 340373/09-2029
Keywords: Admissibility of referral (yes)
Construction of referred question - term disclaimer - subject-matter instead of embodiment
G 1/03 and G 2/03 relating to disclaimers for disclosed subject-matter (no)
General definition for assessment under Article 123(2) EPC - applicable to disclaimers for disclosed subject-matter (yes)
Point of reference: subject-matter remaining claimed
Technical assessment of overall circumstances of the case required - same test as for positive features
Disclaimed subject-matter disclosed as part of the invention - not relevant
Importance of uniform concept of disclosure and uniform determination of rights derivable therefrom
Catchwords:

-

Cited decisions:
G 0003/89
G 0011/91
G 0001/93
G 0002/98
G 0001/03
G 0002/03
G 0001/05
G 0001/06
G 0001/07
T 0004/80
T 0313/86
T 0170/87
T 0448/93
T 0615/95
T 0323/97
T 0451/99
T 0507/99
T 1050/99
T 1102/00
T 1139/00
T 1107/06
Citing decisions:
G 0002/12
G 0002/13
G 0001/15
G 0001/16
R 0008/13
R 0003/17
R 0006/18
T 1242/06
T 1068/07
T 1170/07
T 0971/08
T 1049/08
T 1870/08
T 1911/08
T 2018/08
T 2165/08
T 0302/09
T 0748/09
T 0964/09
T 1042/09
T 1045/09
T 1157/09
T 1176/09
T 1393/09
T 1447/09
T 1457/09
T 1510/09
T 1779/09
T 2102/09
T 2273/09
T 0112/10
T 0303/10
T 0759/10
T 1100/10
T 1227/10
T 1246/10
T 1280/10
T 1306/10
T 1570/10
T 1643/10
T 1946/10
T 2237/10
T 2287/10
T 2457/10
T 2461/10
T 2464/10
T 2537/10
T 0015/11
T 0074/11
T 0239/11
T 0704/11
T 0831/11
T 0938/11
T 1147/11
T 1151/11
T 1222/11
T 1226/11
T 1229/11
T 1247/11
T 1365/11
T 1651/11
T 1830/11
T 1839/11
T 1840/11
T 2130/11
T 2506/11
T 2561/11
T 2585/11
T 2618/11
T 0046/12
T 0102/12
T 0248/12
T 0336/12
T 0351/12
T 0401/12
T 0442/12
T 0447/12
T 0461/12
T 0562/12
T 0598/12
T 0632/12
T 0831/12
T 1329/12
T 1363/12
T 1436/12
T 1472/12
T 1525/12
T 1580/12
T 1720/12
T 1791/12
T 2043/12
T 2174/12
T 2314/12
T 2599/12
T 0078/13
T 0389/13
T 0557/13
T 0558/13
T 0560/13
T 0589/13
T 0606/13
T 0637/13
T 0802/13
T 0850/13
T 0865/13
T 0872/13
T 0945/13
T 1007/13
T 1085/13
T 1149/13
T 1165/13
T 1267/13
T 1279/13
T 1319/13
T 1441/13
T 1548/13
T 1634/13
T 1678/13
T 1710/13
T 1808/13
T 1825/13
T 1852/13
T 1856/13
T 2002/13
T 2089/13
T 2119/13
T 2415/13
T 2418/13
T 2440/13
T 0060/14
T 0076/14
T 0213/14
T 0318/14
T 0330/14
T 0343/14
T 0437/14
T 0657/14
T 0723/14
T 0894/14
T 1156/14
T 1224/14
T 1308/14
T 1318/14
T 1319/14
T 1458/14
T 1461/14
T 1462/14
T 1718/14
T 1775/14
T 1810/14
T 1856/14
T 1872/14
T 1955/14
T 2046/14
T 2171/14
T 0046/15
T 0137/15
T 0156/15
T 0159/15
T 0262/15
T 0314/15
T 0432/15
T 0437/15
T 0442/15
T 0553/15
T 0588/15
T 0628/15
T 0700/15
T 0734/15
T 0825/15
T 0916/15
T 0959/15
T 1075/15
T 1112/15
T 1141/15
T 1150/15
T 1302/15
T 1354/15
T 1362/15
T 1454/15
T 1469/15
T 1525/15
T 1528/15
T 1629/15
T 1689/15
T 1745/15
T 1757/15
T 2000/15
T 2100/15
T 2115/15
T 2160/15
T 0005/16
T 0085/16
T 0141/16
T 0152/16
T 0189/16
T 0210/16
T 0278/16
T 0344/16
T 0413/16
T 0422/16
T 0703/16
T 0712/16
T 0782/16
T 0784/16
T 0795/16
T 0833/16
T 0838/16
T 0903/16
T 0921/16
T 1076/16
T 1089/16
T 1131/16
T 1189/16
T 1259/16
T 1365/16
T 1375/16
T 1484/16
T 1583/16
T 1666/16
T 1711/16
T 1753/16
T 1781/16
T 1993/16
T 2072/16
T 2351/16
T 2514/16
T 2635/16
T 0004/17
T 0099/17
T 0223/17
T 0304/17
T 0437/17
T 0650/17
T 0853/17
T 0890/17
T 0902/17
T 1071/17
T 1121/17
T 1125/17
T 1438/17
T 1524/17
T 1905/17
T 1962/17
T 2087/17
T 2182/17
T 2524/17
T 2743/17
T 0083/18
T 0149/18
T 0155/18
T 0210/18
T 0317/18
T 0335/18
T 0353/18
T 0363/18
T 0774/18
T 1255/18
T 1556/18
T 1854/18
T 2092/18
T 2842/18
T 0071/19
T 0969/19
T 1081/19
T 2358/19
T 3196/19
T 3272/19

159 references found.

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

EPC Articles

EPO Guidelines - F The European Patent Application

EPO Guidelines - G Patentability

EPO Guidelines - H Amendments and Corrections

Offical Journal of the EPO

Case Law Book: I Patentability

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

Case Law Book: V Priority

Case Law of the Enlarged Board

General Case Law