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Oral proceedings all’EPO in presenza di terze parti: la procedura e il comportamento in udienza

This seminar explores the procedural and behavioral aspects of the European Patent Office's inter partes proceedings, focusing on legal frameworks, substantial and procedural aspects, and parties' behavior in oral proceedings.

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Oral proceedings all’EPO in presenza di terze parti: la procedura e il comportamento in udienza

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  1. Oralproceedings all’EPO in presenza di terze parti: la procedura e il comportamento in udienza Marco Conti 27 Aprile 2016, Bologna - Per seminario AIPPI

  2. CONTENTS 1. EPO inter partes proceedings - overview 2. Substantial aspects 3. Procedural aspects 4. Parties behaviour 5. Tips

  3. Chapter 1: EPO inter partes proceedings - overview

  4. EPO composition Second instance First instance Formalities Search Examination Refusal Appeal Grant Maintenance Revocation Limitation Opposition

  5. Legal framework [1]

  6. Legal framework [2]

  7. Possible outcomes Opposition final stage

  8. Compositions Chairmen - technical member- I member - technical - Opposition Division: R 19 EPC II member - technical member - (Legal member, to hear witnesses) Board of Appeal: A 21(4) 2 (3) technical members (chairman) 1 (2) legal members

  9. Chapter 2: substantial aspects

  10. Legal basis [1] Right to be heard (A 113 EPC) - (1) opportunity to present comments - (2) decision on text submitted or agreed by proprietor Oral proceedings (A 116 EPC) - (1) either instance of EPO or request of party - (4) public, if from opposition (granted patent)

  11. Legal basis [2] Examination by EPO of his own motion (A 114 EPC) - (1) EPO shall examine the facts of his own motion; shall not be restricted to facts, evidence and arguments provided by the parties and the relief sought. G9/91, G1/99 restrict application in inter partes proceedings - (2) EPO may disregard facts or evidence not submitted in due time by the parties concerned R 76(2) EPC, RPBA 12-14

  12. Grounds of opposition [1] A 100 EPC - (a) not patentable under A52-57 (A54 novelty, A56 inventive step) - (b) insufficiency of disclosure (A83) - (c) subject matter extending beyond original disclosure (A123(2) amendments, A76(1) divisional applications

  13. Grounds of opposition [2] A 100 EPC Never a ground: A82 EPC, unity of invention A 101(3), R 80 EPC Possible additional grounds in case of amendments: A123(3) EPC, A84 - A123(3) EPC: broadening of scope  strict interpretation - A84 EPC: clarity  loose interpretation G3/14

  14. Chapter 3: procedural aspects

  15. Opposition: procedural steps Opposition proceedings Last submissions Reply to grounds of opp. Oral proceedings Grounds of opposition Patent grant Summons to oral pr. 9 m Possible further writs between parties 1m Colours meaning: Opponent EPO Time Limit Patentee

  16. Appeal: procedural steps Appeal proceedings Last submissions Reply to grounds of appeal Notice of appeal Grounds of appeal Oral proceedings Summons to oral pr. Decision 2 m 2 m Possible further writs between parties 1m Colours meaning: Appellant EPO Time Limit Other party

  17. Opposition outline

  18. EPO rules of procedure EPO Guidelines vs. RPBA - Opposition division (I instance): bound by Guidelines - BoA (II instance): not bound by the Guidelines; bound by EPC, G decisions

  19. Late filings [1] Legal provisions A 99(1) + Rule 76(2)(c) EPC; A114(2) EPC - Freshgroundsforopposition  grounds raised after the 9 month opposition period. - Late-filedfacts or evidence  For opponent: after 9 month opposition period  For proprietor: after the reply to the opposition Exception: if filed as answer to unforeseeable turn of events

  20. Late filings [2] Admissibility criteria G10/91 on freshgrounds: prima facierelevanceto the maintenanceof the patent + A114(1) EPC T1002/92 late-filedfacts, evidence : prima facierelevanceto the maintenanceof the patent + R 76(2)(c) EPC Furthercriteria: proceduralabuse, excessivedelay (e.g. T633/97) New argumentsnormallyaccepted (G4/92, but T1621/09)

  21. Late filings [3] Admissibility criteria - BoA Relevancecriterionapplies, more strict A 12(2) RPBA: the statement of grounds of appeal and the reply shall contain a party's complete case. A 12(4) RPBA: BoA has discretion to hold inadmissible facts, evidence or requests which could have been presented or were not admitted in the first instance; everything presented by the parties shall be taken into account by the Board if and to the extent it relates to the case under appeal and meets the requirements in (2).

  22. Late filings [4] Admissibility criteria - BoA A 13(1) RPBA: any amendment to a party's case after grounds of appeal or reply may be admitted at the BoA discretion, in view of inter alia complexity new subject matter submitted, current state of proceedings procedural economy. A 13(3) RPBA: amendments after oral proceedings have been arranged shall not be admitted if they raise issues which the Board or the other party cannot reasonably be expected to deal with without adjournment of the oral proceedings.

  23. Late filings [5] Admissibility criteria – summary RPBA

  24. Chapter 4: Parties behaviour

  25. EPO approach to OP One issue at the time! - Requests cascade: Main  Auxialiry 1  Aux 2 ... - Grounds / admissibility logic order (+ EPO discretion)

  26. EPO approach to OP - Postponement only for very serious reasons - Grounds / admissibility logic order (+ EPO discretion) - Accompanying persons (who speak) only upon request (G4/95: information indicated in the request)

  27. Party’s behaviour [1] > Identify your strong /weak points, focus on the strong points. > Check EPO preliminary opinion. Set up arguments going beyond previous writs. > If possible, avoid new last-minute submissions during the oral proceedings (e.g. new documents or claim requests). > Do not address the other party directly

  28. Party’s behaviour[2] > Speak only when invited by the chairman, do not interrupt the other party or the division/board > Listen to the division/board for a hint, adapt your strategy to the direction it is taking. > Provide copies to the parties and the division/board for any new document brought forward at the oral proceedings. > After the division/board has announced an opinion on a certain issue, do not go over it again, unless you have VERY serious reasons to do so.

  29. Chapter 5: tips

  30. Tips [1] > If you cannot attend oral proceedings, inform the EPO and the other parties well in advance (risk an apportionment of costs against you) > Prepare your documents thoroughly and arrive in good time > Don't show body language > Don't talk to the other party; and don’t ignore the division/board.

  31. Tips [2] > Don't ignore any signs/messages given by the division/board > Careful about implicit abandoning of grounds of opposition or requests > Don't mix the issues or the various grounds! > Present your requests in time

  32. Tips [3] > Once a decision (or even an opinion) has been announced by the opposition/board, don't reopen the discussion. > With simultaneous interpretation, switch on/off your microphone, use short sentences to help the interpreters > As proprietor, do not refer to features which are not present in the claim under discussion > As proprietor, bring clean copies of the patent document, also in electronic form.

  33. Tips [4] > Be prepared to react if any submission goes beyond this legal and factual framework > As opponent, when filing late documents, explain why they should be admitted (relevancy; why not filed earlier) > As proprietor, when presenting requests at oral proceedings, be very careful as to they: − do not comprise elements taken from the description − do not infringe Article 123(2 and 3) − are clear (Article 84) − do overcome the objections raised

  34. Tips [5] > Prepare your next arguments during deliberation > Consider asking to put certain statements into the minutes in case of parallel infringement proceedings > Opponent: if many auxiliary requests, be careful considering to raise minor issues (taking precious time) > Proprietor: be careful not to waste time at the beginning, to keep more chances to have possible new requests admitted at a later stage of the oral proceedings

  35. END Thanks Ing. Marco Conti, Ph.D marcoconti@bugnion.it P: +39 051 6583311 F: 0516583400

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