Updates on EPC, PCT, EPO case law and the e-EQE

The update of our EPC.App reference book to legal status of 1st April 2024 is completed. Key changes since the last update in November were the new EPO Guidelines as of March 2024, amendments to the EPO’s fee structure in Rules 6, 7a, 7b, 82, 95, 123 and 146 as well as A. 2 and 14 RFees, amendments to Rules 1, 22, 41, 147, 152 for further digitalisation, the new Rules of Procedure of the Boards of Appeal, T 0116/18 on post-published evidence for inventive step, updated ADA regulations, and validation of EP patents in Georgia.

In the self-editable online version of our EPC commentary, all changes of the update are rolled-out automatically, while personal user annotations from before the update are retained. They can be exported into a customized printable PDF offline version, which may further be ordered as colored paperback via the integrated print-on-demand service. As always, we also released this 12th edition in English and German with same content.

The update of our EPC.App reference book to legal status of 1st April 2023 is completed. Key changes since the last update in November were the new EPO Guidelines as of March 2023, G 2/21 on plausibility, amendments to Rules 46, 49, 50, 57, 82 on format requirements of application documents as well as to Rule 65 on the transmittal of the search report, the increase of EPO fees, and the upcoming UPCA entry into force.

In the self-editable online version of our EPC commentary, all changes of the update are rolled-out automatically, while personal user annotations from before the update are retained. They can be exported into a customized printable PDF offline version, which may further be ordered as colored paperback via the integrated print-on-demand service. As usual, we also released this 10th edition as standalone softcover books in English or German with same content.

Following T 1989/18 according to which the description does not have to be adapted, T 1444/20 approves T 1989/18 and also quotes R 42(1,c)  and R 48(1,c).  

The decision of the ED

In the communication under R 71(3) the applicant was informed that the division intended to grant a patent whereby pages 29 to 41 of the description were to be deleted.

The 8th edition of our EPC reference book is released – as always in English and German with same content. This update of our electronic commentary and printed books to legal status of 1st April 2022 reflects the new 2022 EPO Guidelines, the Official Journal until March 2022, increased EPO fees valid as of April 2022, and the very recent case law of the Boards of Appeal (including the referrals G1/22 + G2/22).

As new option of the platform, our database of legal provisions has been extended to now include almost all Official Journal articles since 2014 as annotatable full text. Selected ones have been placed in the book by us authors, and others can be added by yourself when further shaping this book according to your personal needs, e.g. as optimized EQE 2023 reference.