G 0003/19 (Pepper (follow-up to “Tomatoes II” and “Broccoli II”)) of 14.5.2020

European Case Law Identifier: ECLI:EP:BA:2020:G000319.20200514
Date of decision: 14 May 2020
Case number: G 0003/19
Application number: -
IPC class: -
Language of proceedings: EN
Distribution: A
Download and more information:
Decision text in EN (PDF, 612 KB)
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Bibliographic information is available in: EN
Versions: OJ | Published
Title of application: -
Applicant name: -
Opponent name: -
Board: EBA
Headnote: Taking into account developments after decisions G 2/12 and G 2/13 of the Enlarged Board of Appeal, the exception to patentability of essentially biological processes for the production of plants or animals in Article 53(b) EPC has a negative effect on the allowability of product claims and product-by-process claims directed to plants, plant material or animals, if the claimed product is exclusively obtained by means of an essentially biological process or if the claimed process features define an essentially biological process.
This negative effect does not apply to European patents granted before 1 July 2017 and European patent applications which were filed before that date and are still pending.
Relevant legal provisions:
European Patent Convention 1973 R 23(b)
European Patent Convention 1973 R 23(c)
European Patent Convention 1973 R 23(d)
European Patent Convention 1973 R 23(e)
European Patent Convention Art 4
European Patent Convention Art 15
European Patent Convention Art 21
European Patent Convention Art 22(1)(a)
European Patent Convention Art 22(1)(b)
European Patent Convention Art 23
European Patent Convention Art 33
European Patent Convention Art 33(1)(b)
European Patent Convention Art 33(1)(c)
European Patent Convention Art 35(3)
European Patent Convention Art 52(1)
European Patent Convention Art 53
European Patent Convention Art 53(a)
European Patent Convention Art 53(b)
European Patent Convention Art 112(1)(a)
European Patent Convention Art 112(1)(b)
European Patent Convention Art 112a
European Patent Convention Art 112a(2)
European Patent Convention Art 164(2)
European Patent Convention Art 172
European Patent Convention R 26(1)
European Patent Convention R 26(5)
European Patent Convention R 27(b)
European Patent Convention R 28
European Patent Convention R 28(2)
RPEBA Art 010
RPBA2020 R 021
International Conventions
Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties of 23 May 1969 Art. 31, 32
Law of the European Union:
Treaty of the European Union, consolidated version 2016, Art. 19(3)
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Art. 267, 288
Directive 98/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 1998 on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, Art. 1 to 4
Law of the Contracting States:
Austria: Patentgesetz 1970, § 2(2)
Belgium: Code de droit économique - Dispositions relatives au droit d'obtenteur 2013 (2019), Art. XI.5 § 1er, 3°
Germany: Patentgesetz 1936, § 2a
France: Code de la propriété intellectuelle, Article L611-19, LOI n° 2016-1087 du 8 août 2016 pour la reconquête de la biodiversité, de la nature et des paysages
Italy: Codice della proprieta' industriale (IIPC) 2005, Art. 45.4.b and 81quater (e)
The Netherlands: Rijksoctrooiwet 1995, Art. 3
Norway: Lov om patenter (patentloven) 1967 nr 9), Section 1; examination guidelines of the Norwegian Intellectual Property Office, section C, chapter IV, 2a.3.2
Poland: (see pdf)
Portugal: Código da Propriedade Industrial 2018, Art. 52(3)c), 53(1)d) to f) and (2)
Serbia: (see pdf)
Keywords: referred point of law re-phrased – yes
admissibility of referral by the President of the European Patent Office – yes, after re-phrasing
uniform application of the law - yes
point of law of fundamental importance - yes
different decisions by two Boards of Appeal – yes
application of Article 112(1)(b) EPC by analogy - no
rules of interpretation
hierachy of norms
conflicting provisions - no of laws
dynamic interpretation of Article 53(b) EPC – yes
impact of Rule 28(2) EPC on interpretation of Article 53(b) EPC – yes
exception to patentability of product claims or product-by-process claims directed to plants, plant material or animals, if the claimed product is exclusively obtained by means of an essentially biological process or if the claimed process features define an essentially biological process – yes
applicability of the exception to European patents granted before 1 July 2017 and pending European patent applications filed before that day – no
Catchwords:

-

Cited decisions:
G 0001/88
G 0006/91
G 0002/92
G 0009/92
G 0003/93
G 0009/93
G 0003/95
G 0004/95
G 0006/95
G 0001/97
G 0001/98
G 0003/98
G 0004/98
G 0002/02
G 0001/03
G 0001/04
G 0002/06
G 0002/07
G 0001/08
G 0002/08
G 0003/08
G 0002/12
G 0002/13
G 2301/16
J 0008/82
J 0020/84
J 0004/91
J 0016/96
T 0128/82
T 0297/88
T 0019/90
T 0039/93
T 0272/95
T 0315/03
T 0991/04
T 0083/05
T 0666/05
T 1213/05
T 1242/06
T 1208/12
T 1063/18
Citing decisions:
G 0001/19
T 1807/15
T 2320/16
T 2840/18
T 0281/19
T 0452/19
T 0958/19
T 0959/19
T 1028/19
T 1030/19
T 1341/19
T 1430/19
T 1854/19
T 2825/19

Source: http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/recent/g190003ex1.html

Date retrieved: 17 May 2021

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