If an invention involves the use of or concerns biological material which is not available to the public and which cannot be described in the European patent application in such a manner as to enable the invention to be carried out by a person skilled in the art, the invention shall only be regarded as being disclosed as prescribed in Article 83 if:
a sample of the biological material has been deposited with a recognised depositary institution on the same terms as those laid down in the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure of 28 April 1977 not later than the date of filing of the application;
where the biological material has been deposited by a person other than the applicant, the name and address of the depositor are stated in the application and a document is submitted to the European Patent Office providing evidence that the depositor has authorised the applicant to refer to the deposited biological material in the application and has given his unreserved and irrevocable consent to the deposited material being made available to the public in accordance with Rule 33.
The information referred to in paragraph 1(c) and paragraph 1(d) may be submitted
within sixteen months after the date of filing of the application or, if priority has been claimed, after the priority date, this period being deemed to have been observed if the information is communicated before completion of the technical preparations for publication of the European patent application;
up to the date of submission of a request under Article 93, paragraph 1(b);
within one month after the European Patent Office has communicated to the applicant that the right to inspect the files under Article 128, paragraph 2, exists.
The ruling period shall be the one which is the first to expire. The communication of this information shall be considered as constituting the unreserved and irrevocable consent of the applicant to the deposited biological material being made available to the public in accordance with Rule 33.
Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/legal-texts/html/epc/2016/e/r31.html
Date retrieved: 17 May 2021
41 references found.
Click X to load a reference inside the current page, click on the title to open in a new page.EPC Articles
EPC Implementing Rules
EPO Guidelines - A Formalities Examination
EPO Guidelines - B Search
EPO Guidelines - E General Procedural Matters
EPO Guidelines - F The European Patent Application
EPO Guidelines - G Patentability
EPO PCT GL - F (not assigned)
EPO Guide for Applicants, part II Int. - C The EPO as ISA and SISA
Offical Journal of the EPO
XOJ EPO 2020, A55 - Synopsis of the territorial field of application of international patent treaties
XOJ EPO 2019, A45 - Synopsis of the territorial field of application of international patent treaties
XOJ EPO 2018, A80 - Notice from the European Patent Office dated 12 October 2018 concerning updated Forms 1001 (request for grant) and 1200 (entry into the European phase)
XOJ EPO 2018, A44 - Synopsis of the territorial field of application of international patent treaties
XOJ EPO 2017, A60 - Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 10 July 2017 concerning the requirements and obligations for experts nominated under Rule 32 EPC
XOJ EPO 2017, A35 - Synopsis of the territorial field of application of international patent treaties
XOJ EPO 2010, 498 - Notice from the European Patent Office dated 7 July 2010 concerning inventions which involve the use of or concern biological material