T 0320/87 (Hybrid plants) of 10.11.1988

European Case Law Identifier: ECLI:EP:BA:1988:T032087.19881110
Date of decision: 10 November 1988
Case number: T 0320/87
Application number: 81303287.7
IPC class: A01H 1/02
Language of proceedings: EN
Distribution: A
Download and more information:
Decision text in EN (PDF, 640 KB)
Documentation of the appeal procedure can be found in the Register
Bibliographic information is available in: EN
Versions: OJ | Published
Title of application: -
Applicant name: Lubrizol
Opponent name: -
Board: 3.3.02
Headnote: 1. Whether or not a (non-microbiological) process is to be considered as "essentially biological" within the meaning of Article 53(b) EPC has to be judged on the basis of the essence of the invention taking into account the totality of human intervention and its impact on the result achieved (cf. point 6 of the reasons).
2. Hybrid seed and plants from such seed, lacking stability in some trait of the whole generation population, cannot be classified as plant varieties within the meaning of Article 53(b) EPC (cf. point 14 of the reasons).
Relevant legal provisions:
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 53(b)
European Patent Convention 1973 Art 84
Strasbourg Convention Art 002(b)
Keywords: Essentially biological processes
Biological processes (essentially)
Plant variety
Hybrid plants
Product-by-process-claim, hybrid seeds or plants
Catchwords:

-

Cited decisions:
-
Citing decisions:
G 0001/98
G 0002/07
G 0001/08
G 0002/12
G 0002/13
T 0820/92
T 0356/93
T 1054/96
T 0866/01
T 0315/03
T 1374/04
T 0083/05
T 1242/06

Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/t870320ex1.html

Date retrieved: 17 May 2021

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