Since 1 November 2000 the procedure set out below has been used for fixing the dates of oral proceedings before the boards of appeal. This procedure has been approved in co-operation with former DG 2 (now DG 1) and after discussion in the Standing Advisory Committee before the EPO (SACEPO).
1. The boards of appeal fix one single date for oral proceedings. A pre-announcement of the date is not made.
Full title: OJ EPO SE 1/2017, p71 - VII.2 - Notice of the Vice-President of Directorate-General 3 of the European Patent Office dated 16 July 2007 concerning sound recording devices in oral proceedings before the boards of appeal of the EPO (OJ EPO 2007, Special edition No. 3, 117)
All parties to oral proceedings before the boards of appeal and their representatives are hereby informed of the following rule.
Portable computers such as laptops, tablets and other hand-held electronic devices have rapidly become a standard supporting tool in our society. They can perform a wide range of tasks and are increasingly used during oral proceedings before the Boards of Appeal. The use of electronic devices during oral proceedings before the Boards of Appeal has not been regulated to date, although they have generally been allowed.
Full title: OJ EPO SE 1/2017, p73 - VII.4 - Communication from the Vice-President of Directorate-General 3 of the European Patent Office dated 16 July 2007 concerning the obligation to give notice pursuant to Rule 4(1), first sentence, EPC in proceedings before the boards of appeal of the EPO (use of an alternative official language in oral proceedings) (OJ EPO 2007, Special edition No. 3, 118)
Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 14 July 2007 concerning public notification under Rule 129 EPC (OJ EPO 2007, Special edition No. 3, 127)
Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 12 July 2007[ 1 ] concerning use of the PHOENIX electronic file system for the creation, maintenance and preservation of files (OJ EPO 2007, Special edition No. 3, 121)
The President of the European Patent Office, having regard to Rule 147(2) EPC, has decided as follows: