EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE
Information from the EPO
Decision of the President of the European Patent Office dated 4 June 2019 exempting applicants claiming the priority of a first filing made in Switzerland from filing a copy of the search results under Rule 141(1) EPC – utilisation scheme1, 2
The President of the European Patent Office, having regard to Rules 141(1) and (2) and 70b(1) and (2) of the European Patent Convention (EPC), has decided as follows:
Article 1
Exemption under Rule 141(2) EPC from filing a copy of the search results
The European Patent Office shall include in the file of a European patent application a copy of the search results referred to in Rule 141(1) EPC, thus exempting the applicant from filing said copy, where the priority of a first filing made in Switzerland is claimed.
Article 2
Entry into force
This decision shall enter into force on 1 August 2019 and shall apply to European patent applications in respect of which an invitation under Rule 70b(1) EPC has not yet been despatched by the date of entry into force of this decision.
Done at Munich, 4 June 2019
António CAMPINOS
President
1 See notice from the European Patent Office dated 28.07.2010 concerning amended Rule 141 EPC and new Rule 70b EPC – utilisation scheme, OJ EPO 2010, 410.
2 See notice from the European Patent Office dated 04.06.2019 concerning exemption under Rule 141(2) EPC from filing a copy of the search results – utilisation scheme, OJ EPO 2019, A56.