Exclusions from Patentability - Assets - Cambridge …assets.cambridge.org/97811070/06942/frontmatter/...Exclusions from Patentability Exclusions from Patentability reviews the history

Exclusions from Patentability

Exclusions from Patentability reviews the history of the adoption of exclusions from patentability under the European Patent Convention since its first conception in 1949 through to its most recent revision. The analysis shows how other intellectual property treaties, such as UPOV, the Strasbourg Patent Convention, PCT, the EU Biotech Directive and TRIPS have affected the framing of the exclusions. Particular attention is given to those exclusions considered the most contentious (computer programs, discoveries, medical treatments, life forms and agriculture) and those decisions that have been most influential in shaping the approaches by which the exclusions have been interpreted. The ‘morality’ exclusion and the interpretation of the exclusions are discussed critically and suggestions for coherent interpretation are made.

s ig r i d s t e rc k x is a professor of Ethics at Ghent University and at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium.

j u l i a n c o c k b a i n is a European patent attorney and a British patent attorney and is a consultant with the British and European patent and trade mark attorney firm Dehns. The views expressed herein are his and not those of Dehns or its clients.

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Cambridge University Press978-1-107-00694-2 - Exclusions from Patentability: How Far Has the European Patent OfficeEroded Boundaries?Sigrid Sterckx and Julian CockbainFrontmatterMore information

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Cambridge Intellectual Property and Information Law

As its economic potential has rapidly expanded, intellectual property has become a subject of front-rank legal importance. Cambridge Intellectual Property and Information Law is a series of monograph studies of major current issues in intellectual property. Each volume contains a mix of international, European, comparative and national law, making this a highly significant series for prac-titioners, judges and academic researchers in many countries.

Series editorsLionel Bently Herchel Smith Professor of Intellectual Property Law, University of Cambridge

William R. Cornish Emeritus Herchel Smith Professor of Intellectual Property Law, University of Cambridge

Advisory editorsFrançois Dessemontet, Professor of Law, University of LausannePaul Goldstein, Professor of Law, Stanford UniversityThe Rt Hon. Sir Robin Jacob, Hugh Laddie Professor of Intellectual Property, University College, London

A list of books in the series can be found at the end of this volume.






Exclusions from PatentabilityHow Far Has the European Patent Office Eroded Boundaries?

Sigrid Sterckx

and

Julian Cockbain






c a m b r i d g e u n i v e r s i t y p r e s s

Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo, Delhi, Mexico City

Cambridge University PressThe Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK

Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York

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© Julian Cockbain and Sigrid Sterckx 2012

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First published 2012

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Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication dataSterckx, Sigrid, author.

Exclusions from patentability : how far has the European Patent Office eroded boundaries? / Sigrid Sterckx and Julian Cockbain. pages cm. – (Cambridge intellectual property and information law)Includes bibliographical references and index.ISBN 978-1-107-00694-2 (hardback)1. Patent laws and legislation–Europe. 2. European Patent Convention (1973) 3. European Patent Office. I. Cockbain, Julian. II. Title.KJC2725.S77 2012346.2404∙86–dc232012015929

ISBN 978-1-107-00694-2 Hardback

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To Peter MesserliChairman of the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the

European Patent Office, 1996–2011






Aside from the globalisation and harmonisation of patent law, the patent universe has been growing in another manner: the scope of what is regarded as patentable subject-matter has quietly expanded. This expansion has occurred in two ways. First, the scope of patentable subject-matter has been given an inclusive interpretation. Secondly, the restrictions on patentability have been narrowly interpreted … Patent offices can, through their decisions, include more things in the scope of patentability or narrow the operation of restrictions on patentability. Moreover, if they are supranational entities, as in the case of the EPO, they can exercise a profound harmonising influence on national systems. English courts, for example, have pointed out that it is of the ‘utmost importance’ that the exclusions in section 1 of the UK Patents Act 1977 should have the same interpretation as the EPO gives to the exclusions contained in Article 52 of the EPC. The EPO has been singularly successful in giving a narrow reading to the limits on invention and patentability contained in Articles 52 and 53 of the EPC. In interpreting the historical text that surrounds the creation of the EPC, … the EPO has suggested that the widest possible conception of patentability was a predominant conception. This conclusion has led to another … exceptions to patentability have to be narrowly construed … The effect of the assumption is to make the restrictions on patentability function weakly, if at all … A crucial aspect to the expansion of [the concept of patentability] has been the development of juridical arguments and theories that have enabled [patent applicants] to overcome existing bars. One of the interesting things is that, while these arguments are often analytically weak, they have been readily accepted by the patent community in the name of adapting the patent system to changing circumstances of technology and innovation. There is nothing wrong in adapting systems of law to changing circumstances. The crucial thing is that such adaptations must be governed by the public purposes that are embedded in patent law and the broader public ethic rather than private purposes. In the case of the adaptation of the patent system it is not at all clear that this has been the case.

(Drahos 1999: 442–3, footnotes omitted)

Reproduced with the kind permission of Peter Drahos and the publishers of the European Intellectual Property Review.






vii

Contents

Acknowledgements page viiiTable of cases xTable of international conventions and regulations xviiTable of official documents xixList of abbreviations xxvii

1 Introduction 1

2 The historical development and current scope of the European Patent Convention 17

3 Computer programs 67

4 Discoveries 114

5 Methods of medical treatment and diagnosis 135

6 Essentially biological processes for the production of plants and animals 172

7 Plant and animal varieties 193

8 Morality and ‘ordre public’ 243

9 Towards a coherent interpretation of the exclusions 309

10 Conclusion 320

List of correspondence from EPO files 324References 327Index 336






viii

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank various people who have played an important role in the creation of this book. Sigrid would especially like to thank her parents, Marie-Louise and Wilfried, for the immense moral sup-port they give her for all the projects she undertakes and for being the most loving parents anyone could wish for.

Julian is very grateful to his children Ben, Ella and Bea for their encouragement towards this book project. He also wishes to acknow-ledge the inventors he has worked with over the last thirty-five years. Their creativity and dedication and the countless exciting exchanges he has had with them, working out where inventions lie, are a major reason why he continues to be so passionate about working in the field of patents.

We also thank, from the bottom of our hearts, Tressilian, who is not only our ‘Limo Services and General Happiness Provider’, but who has also encouraged us non-stop on the long road towards this book and helped us immensely with various correction and lay-out tasks.

While this book was being written, Sigrid’s god-daughter, Marie Djara, was born and the joy and happiness she brought provided a constant source of energy.

Colleagues and friends An, Farah, Annelies, Freddy, Gilles, Lieven, Bob, Lotte, Sandra and Didier, Etienne and Josiane, Els, Heather, Tanja, Lucienne, Noortje, Rani, Shala and Stephanie – many thanks to all of you for your moral support!

A heartfelt thank you also to Sigrid’s doctoral students Jo, Kasper, Kristof, Pieter and Wouter, as well as to her teaching assistant Kjell, for their warm encouragement and for understanding that, with pain in her heart, she had to neglect them for far too long to make sure this book would get finished.

Sigrid would like to express special gratitude to Bart Claes, who, just when she was about to give up her first research project on pat-ents because it was so complicated, helped her understand a great deal, and thanks to whom she realised that the patent system is the most






Acknowledgements ix

fascinating topic any researcher could dream of investigating. Bart, I expect you will disagree with a lot of the views expressed in this book, but, well, you are to some extent morally complicit in its making because you opened my eyes to the magic of patents!

A special word of thanks also to Peter Drahos, Rainer Moufang and Daniel Alexander, who for a long time have been and continue to be a wonderful source of intellectual inspiration for Sigrid. Thanks also to Wolfgang Roepstorff of the EPO for his help in finding missing details from the EPO records.

Last but not least, we wish to say a few words about Peter Messerli, to whom this book is dedicated. We do not know him personally, but we dedicate our book to him because, in our view, all but the very first of the decisions of the EPO Enlarged Board of Appeal taken under his chairmanship show that it is thanks to his remarkably sharp mind, combined with integrity and genuine concern, that the law is taken seriously – not at all in an uncritical, purely ‘law-abiding’ spirit, but rather the contrary, with clear awareness of the crucial role of patents in society – that the erosion of the EPC exclusions from patentability, which had been occurring to an alarming extent, has been partially undone in recent years. We find it truly encouraging to see how some of the boundaries are being rebuilt, and we can only hope that the suc-cessor of Peter Messerli – who, sadly, retired at the end of November 2011 – will ensure that the ‘rebuilding’ work that remains to be done will continue in the spirit of Peter Messerli.






x

Table of cases

EPO cases

All EPO Board of Appeal decisions may be accessed from the EPO web-site, www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/basic-search.html by fol-lowing the instructions provided there (last accessed 6 December 2011).

Enlarged Board of Appeal decisions:

G-5/83 Second medical indication/EISAI, [1985] OJ EPO 64–6 58, 136, 161, 163–9

G-2/88 Friction reducing additive/MOBIL III, [1990] OJ EPO 93–113 161

G-10/93 Scope of examination in ex parte appeal/SIEMENS, [1995] OJ EPO 172–9 122

G-3/95 Inadmissible referral, [1996] OJ EPO 169–80 206–7, 216, 221G-1/98 Transgenic plant/NOVARTIS II, [2000] OJ EPO 111–

41 56–7, 121, 176, 178–9, 189, 191, 200, 212–25, 228–30, 232, 234, 236–7, 239–41, 267, 274, 310

G-4/98 Designation fees, [2001] OJ EPO 131–47 108G-1/04 Diagnostic methods, [2006] OJ EPO 334–61 136–7, 147,

152, 154–6, 280–1, 284, 319G-2/06 Use of embryos/WARF, [2009] OJ EPO 306–32 241, 243,

254, 269, 281, 285–8, 293, 297, 299, 303, 305, 316, 319, 322G-1/07 Treatment by surgery/MEDI-PHYSICS, [2011] OJ EPO

134–211 135–7, 143, 148–51G-2/07 Broccoli/PLANT BIOSCIENCE, 9 December 2010 58,

122, 172–3, 176, 179, 183–7, 189, 191–2, 232, 240, 316, 322G-1/08 Tomatoes/STATE OF ISRAEL, 9 December 2010 170, 173,

189, 191, 232G-2/08 Dosage regime/ABBOTT RESPIRATORY, [2010] OJ EPO

456–94 157–9, 162–5, 169–71, 268, 281, 322






Table of cases xi

G-3/08 Programs for computers, 16 October 2009 91, 104, 108–13

Technical Board of Appeal decisions:

T-150/82 Claim categories/IFF, [1984] OJ EPO 309–17 117T-16/83 FRANCERIES, [1988] EPOR 65–71 70T-34/83 CIBA-GEIGY, 24 August 1983 196T-36/83 Thenoyl peroxide/ROUSSEL-UCLAF, [1986] OJ EPO

295–301 140, 142T-49/83 Propagating material/CIBA-GEIGY, [1984] OJ EPO 112–

17 179, 194–6, 198–9, 202–4, 207, 209, 213, 233–4, 237, 239, 310, 318

T-61/83 Diagnostic method/THOMSON, [1979–85] EPOR C917 152

T-144/83 Appetite suppressant/DU PONT, [1986] OJ EPO 301–5 138, 140, 142

T-208/83 Diagnostic method/THOMSON CSF, 20 August 1984 152

T-51/84 Coded distinctive mark/STOCKBURGER, [1986] OJ EPO 226–9 70

T-81/84 Dysmenorrhea/RORER, [1988] OJ EPO 207–11 138–9, 141–2

T-208/84 Computer-related invention/VICOM, [1987] OJ EPO 14–23 70–1, 73, 96

T-22/85 Document abstracting and retrieving/IBM, [1990] OJ EPO 12–21 72–3, 75

T-115/85 Computer-related invention/IBM, [1990] OJ EPO 30–4 72, 97

T-116/85 Pigs I/WELLCOME, [1989] OJ EPO 13–24 136, 142T-163/85 Colour television signal/BBC, [1990] OJ EPO 379–84

74–5, 112T-19/86 Pigs II/DUPHAR, [1989] OJ EPO 24–9 139–40, 142T-26/86 X-ray apparatus/KOCH & STERZEL, [1988] OJ EPO

19–25 86, 96–7T-38/86 Text processing/IBM, [1990] OJ EPO 384–94 73–5, 98T-290/86 Cleaning plaque/ICI, [1992] OJ EPO 414–27 142T-385/86 Non-invasive measurement/BRUKER, [1988] OJ EPO

308–16 152–4T-58/87 Pigs III/SALMINEN, 24 November 1988 139T-83/87 SIEMENS, 14 January 1988 153T-245/87 Flow measurement/SIEMENS, [1989] OJ EPO 171–6 157






Table of casesxii

T-320/87 Hybrid plants/LUBRIZOL, [1990] OJ EPO 71–80 176–8, 183, 197–200, 202–3, 213, 234, 237–9, 242, 283, 310

T-366/87 Harmonic vibrations/STERNHEIMER, [1989] EPOR 131–37 96

T-400/87 NRDC, 1 March 1990 153T-158/88 Character form/SIEMENS, [1991] OJ EPO 566–72 97T-584/88 Anti-snoring means/REICHERT, [1989] EPOR

449–53 142T-603/89 Marker/BEATTIE, [1992] OJ EPO 230–9 97–8T-774/89 Efomycin/BAYER, 2 June 1992 142T-19/90 Onco-mouse/HARVARD, [1990] OJ EPO 476–91 55,

176–7, 198–200, 204, 206–7, 224, 234, 238, 244–5, 249–51, 257, 283, 296

T-110/90 Editable document form/IBM, [1994] OJ EPO 557–71 75T-182/90 Blood flow/SEA-SHELL, [1994] OJ EPO 641–48 139–40,

143–5, 147T-854/90 Card reader/IBM, [1993] OJ EPO 669–80 98T-24/91 Cornea/THOMPSON, [1995] OJ EPO 512–18 140–1, 145T-236/91 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, 16 April 1993 75T-438/91 Feeds/MEIJI, 17 October 1994 142T-833/91 IBM, 16 April 1993 76, 112T-164/92 Electronic computer components/ROBERT BOSCH, [1995]

OJ EPO 303–23 and 387 76T-167/92 IBM, 23 October 1992 75T-769/92 General purpose management system/SOHEI, [1995] OJ

EPO 525–44 76–7, 112T-820/92 Contraceptive method/THE GENERAL HOSPITAL,

[1995] OJ EPO 113–25 142, 159–60T-877/92 Removal of carcinogenic hydrocarbons/EXXON, 15

November 1995 117–8T-1002/92 Queueing system/PETTERSSON, [1995] OJ EPO

605–26 98–9T-51/93 HCG/SERONO, 8 June 1994 161T-74/93 Contraceptive method/BRITISH TECHNOLOGY GROUP,

[1995] OJ EPO 712–20 142T-82/93 Cardiac pacing/TELECTRONICS, [1996] OJ EPO

274–93 157T-204/93 AT&T, 29 October 1993 76, 112T-356/93 Plant cells/PLANT GENETIC SYSTEMS, [1995] OJ EPO

545–85 176–8, 184, 193, 201, 203–8, 210, 216, 218–21, 237–9, 241–2, 249, 255, 258–61, 263, 267, 270, 272–3, 283, 294–5, 297

T-530/93 GENERAL ELECTRIC, 8 February 1996 153






Table of cases xiii

T-599/93 SIEMENS, 4 October 1996 99T-1077/93 UV radiation protection/L’OREAL, 8 February

1996 142, 146T-20/94 Amorphous TPM/ENICHEM, 4 November 1998 177T-143/94 Trigonelline/MAI, [1996] OJ EPO 430–44 142T-190/94 MITSUBISHI, 26 October 1995 77, 112T-329/94 Blood extraction method/BAXTER, [1998] OJ EPO

241–49 140, 142, 145T-469/94 Perception of fatigue/MIT, 1 July 1997 141–2T-853/94 Benanomicin A/ZAIDAN, 25 November 1998 161T-958/94 Anti-tumoral agent/THERAPEUTIQUES

SUBSTITUTIVES, [1997] OJ EPO 241–50 161T-72/95 Ionizing liquid/IBBOTT, 18 March 1998 102–3T-272/95 Relaxin/HOWARD FLOREY INSTITUTE, 23 October

2002 119, 121, 122, 125–9, 271, 274–5, 302, 307T-453/95 Chelating agent/REDKEN, 16 March 1999 142T-869/95 NISSAN MOTOR, 7 October 1997 118–9T-931/95 Controlling pension benefits system/PBS PARTNERSHIP,

[2001] OJ EPO 441–57 82–4, 86, 88, 101T-1054/96 (I) Transgenic plant/NOVARTIS, [1998] OJ EPO 511–

53 55, 121, 176, 178, 193, 207–12, 217–9, 221, 234–5, 239–41, 310T-1054/96 Anti-pathogenic compositions/NOVARTIS III, 6

December 2000 178, 188, 217, 240T-775/97 EXPANDABLE GRAFTS, 3 April 2001 146T-935/97 Computer program product II/IBM, [1999] EPOR 301–17 78T-1173/97 Computer program product/IBM, [1999] OJ EPO 609–

32 57, 59, 62, 70, 78–82, 88, 90, 100, 102, 110–113, 240, 311T-1177/97 Translating natural languages/SYSTRAN, 9 July

2002 85, 87T-1194/97 Data structure product/PHILIPS, [2000] OJ EPO

525–44 103T-149/98 Resistance development/BAYER, 15 January 2003 216–7T-592/98 UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, 5 October 2001 141T-35/99 Pericardial access/GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, [2000]

OJ EPO 447–55 103, 145, 147T-49/99 Information modeling/INTERNATIONAL COMPUTERS,

5 March 2002 84, 145, 147T-310/99 Down syndrome/MACRI, 1 April 2003 154T-964/99 Device and method for sampling substances using

alternating polarity/CYGNUS, [2002] OJ EPO 4–19 152–4T-338/00 Multimeric receptors/SALK INSTITUTE, 6 November

2002 122–3






Table of casesxiv

T-641/00 Two identities/COMVIK, [2003] OJ EPO 352–64 85–7, 101, 111–3, 311

T-1038/00 Apoptopic cells/NEXINS RESEARCH, 26 March 2002 154

T-125/01 Gerätesteuerung/HENZE, 11 December 2002 112T-179/01 Herbicide resistant plants/MONSANTO, 6 April 2005 219,

222, 236, 262–3T-475/01 Phosphinothricin resistant gene/BAYER, 15 June

2004 218–9, 223, 236, 261–2T-866/01 Euthanasia compositions/MICHIGAN STATE

UNIVERSITY, 11 May 2005 142, 264, 267–71, 291, 295, 299, 302T-1223/01 AJINOMOTO, 7 April 2005 142T-619/02 Odour selection/QUEST INTERNATIONAL, [2007] OJ

EPO 63–93 103T-663/02 PRINCE, 17 March 2011 151T-708/02 Sea lice infestation/VERICORE, 4 April 2006 142T-858/02 Structured voicemail messages/LUCENT, 12 August

2005 103T-914/02 Core loading arrangement/GENERAL ELECTRIC, 12 July

2005 99, 100T-1026/02 Oilseed Brasicca/PIONEER, 5 March 2004 226T-1197/02 THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, 12

July 2006 156T-172/03 Order management/RICOH,27 November 2003 86–7, 112T-258/03 Auction method/HITACHI, [2004] OJ EPO 575–90 88–

90, 100–1, 112, 310T-315/03 Transgenic animals/HARVARD, [2006] OJ EPO

15–82 176, 178, 201, 222–3, 225–6, 245–55, 284, 290, 292, 295–6T-383/03 Hair removal method/THE GENERAL HOSPITAL,

[2005] OJ EPO 159–68 141–2, 145–7T-424/03 Clipboard formats/MICROSOFT, 23 February 2006 89,

90, 110–2T-606/03 Gene trap/ARTEMIS, 12 January 2005 252–5T-928/03 Video game/KONAMI, 2 June 2006 90T-992/03 (I) Treatment by surgery/MEDI-PHYSICS, [2007] OJ EPO

557–73 147–8, 151T-992/03 MEDI-PHYSICS, 4 November 2010 316T-1172/03 THERMAGE, 4 May 2005 146–7T-5/04 CAMTECH, 17 January 2006 147T-154/04 Estimating sales activity/DUNS LICENSING

ASSOCIATES, [2008] OJ EPO 46–79 91–5T-522/04 Stem cells/CALIFORNIA, 28 May 2009 288, 319






Table of cases xv

T-1284/04 Loan system/KING, 7 March 2007 95T-1319/04 (I) Dosage regime/KOS LIFE SCIENCES, [2009] OJ

EPO 36–57 161T-1374/04 (I) Stem cells/WARF, [2007] OJ EPO 313–43 280,

284–5, 289, 296, 307T-80/05 Method of diagnosis/UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, 19

November 2008 127–8, 279–80T-83/05 (I) Broccoli/PLANT BIOSCIENCE, [2007] OJ EPO

644–69 174, 177T-666/05 Mutation/UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, 13 November

2008 126–7, 277, 279T-1213/05 Breast and ovarian cancer/UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, 27

September 2007 124, 126, 275–7, 279–80, 289T-1227/05 Circuit simulation I/INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES,

[2007] OJ EPO 574–88 94, 95T-1230/05 Increasing energy in vivo/BIOENERGY, 28 June

2010 142T-1538/05 ZAGYANSKY, 28 August 2006 123, 124T-238/06 LEXION MEDICAL, 26 June 2006 156T-1242/06 (I) Tomatoes/STATE OF ISRAEL, [2008] OJ EPO

523–40 174T-1242/06 (12) Tomatoes II/STATE OF ISRAEL, 31 May 2012 190,

232, 289, 319T-1543/06 Game machines/GAMEACCOUNT, 29 June 2007 101–2T-336/07 IGT, 11 October 2007 101T-788/07 Brassica/PIONEER, 7 January 2008 226T-859/07 DEQ SYSTÈMES, 27 November 2007 101T-1854/07 Oil from seeds/CONSEJO SUPERIOR,12 May 2010 191,

227–32, 238T-775/08 Glyphosate tolerant alfalfa/MONSANTO,1 February

2011 232–3, 238T-385/09 LELY ENTERPRISES, 25 November 2010 142, 254

Other cases:

These are set out in the form ‘Country code-Short title or first party’, ‘date of publication or of decision’, ‘Short title or parties to the case’, ‘Court’, ‘publication details’.

CH-Tetraploide Kamille (1995), ‘Tetraploide Kamille’ (CH-Tribunal of Commerce of the Canton of Bern), [1995] GRUR Int., 511–9 184






Table of casesxvi

DE-Sprachanalyseeinrichtung (2002), ‘Sprachanalyseeinrichtung’ (Speech analysis apparatus)(DE-BGH), [2002] IIC 33(3), 343–8 83

EU-Brüstle (2011), Oliver Brüstle v. Greenpeace (EU-CJEU), C-34/10 Decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union, 18 October 2011 304–5

EU-Netherlands (2001), Kingdom of the Netherlands v. European Parliament and Council of the European Union (EU-ECJ), Case 277/98, Decision of the European Court of Justice, 9 October 2001 292

NL-Taste of Nature (2012), Taste of Nature Holding BV v. Cresco Produktie Maatschappij BV and Cresco Handels BV (NL-Court of The Hague) 191

UK-Aerotel (2006), Aerotel Ltd v. Telco Holdings & Ors (UK-CA), [2006] EWCA Civ 1371 67, 91, 113, 321

UK-CFPH (2005), In the matter of Patent Applications GB 0226884.3 and 0419317.3 by CFPH L.L.C. (UK-PCt), [2005] EWHC 1589 (Pat) 129

UK-Genentech (1987), Genentech Inc.’s Patent (UK-PCt), [1987] RPC 553–98 117

UK-Genentech (1989), Genentech Inc.’s Patent (UK-CA), [1989] RPC 147–288 117

UK-Wyeth (1986), ‘Second medical use/WYETH and SCHERING’ (UK-PCt), [1986] OJ EPO 175–92 167

US-AMP (2010), Association for Molecular Pathology, et al. v. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, et al., (US-DC, S.D.N.Y.), No. 09 Civ. 4515, 94 United States Patents Quarterly 2d, 1683 130–1, 133, 290

US-Diamond (1980), Diamond v. Chakrabarty (US-SC),447 U.S. 403 130, 132

US-Funk (1948), Funk Bros. Seed Co. v. Kalo Inoculant Co. (US-SC),333 U.S. 127 130, 132

US-Mayo (2012), Mayo Collaborative Services, et al. v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc. (US-SC), 566 130

US-Morton (1862), Morton v. New York Eye Infirmary, (US-DC, S.D.N.Y.), 17 F. Cas. 879 114, 320






xvii

Table of international conventions and regulations

CFREU 2000, Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, OJ C364, 18.12.2000, pp. 1–22

CEPL 1965, Convention relating to a European Patent Law, final unsigned draft of 22 January 1965 (see Document 2335/IV/65-E, Section 1)

CPC 1975, Convention for the European Patent for the Common Market (Community Patent Convention)

CEPC 1961, European Convention for facilitating the filing of applications for patents in respect of the same invention in several States and the examination thereof, November 1961 (referred to in Document EXP/Brev (61) 8)

CPVRR 1994, Council Regulation (EC) No. 2100/94 of 27 July 1994 on Community plant variety rights, OJ L227, 1.9.94, p. 1

EBD 1988, Directive 98/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 1998 on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions (European Biotech Directive), OJ L 213, 30.7.1998, pp. 13–21

EPC 1973, Convention on the Grant of European Patents (European Patent Convention) of 5 October 1973 (published as EPO 2006)

EPC 2000, Convention on the Grant of European Patents (European Patent Convention) of 5 October 1973 as revised by the Act revising Article 63 EPC of 17 December 1991 and the Act revising the EPC of 29 November 2000 (published as EPO 2010a)

OC 1997, Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and the Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine: Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine, Council of Europe, Oviedo, 4 April 1997






Table of international conventions and regulationsxviii

PC 1979, Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property of March 20, 1883, as revised at Brussels on December 14, 1900, at Washington on June 2, 1911, at The Hague on November 6, 1925, at London on June 2, 1934, at Lisbon on October 31, 1958, and at Stockholm on July 14, 1967, and as amended on October 2, 1979, Geneva: World Intellectual Property Organization, 1991

PCT 1970, Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Done at Washington on June 19, 1970 and Regulations under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (published in WIPO 1970: 11–161)

SPC 1963, Convention on the Unification of Certain Points of Substantive Law on Patents for Invention, Strasbourg, 27.XI.1963, European Treaty Series – No. 47, Strasbourg: Council of Europe

TRIPS 1994, Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, Annex 1C of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, signed in Marrakesh, Morocco on 15 April 1994

UDHR 1948, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, United Nations, Geneva, 10 December 1948

UPOV 1961, International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants adopted by the Diplomatic Conference on December 2, 1961

UPOV 1991, International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of December 2, 1961, as revised at Geneva on November 10, 1972, on October 23, 1973, and on March 19, 1991

VC 1969, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 1969: Done at Vienna on 23 May 1969, Treaty Series 331






xix

Table of official documents

Explanation of document numbering

(1) References to UPOV travaux préparatoires have fabricated num-bers to allow them to be listed in this section. Thus UPOV (nn) X is the Xth document for year 19nn. All are to be found in UPOV (1974) at the page numbers given.

(2) Documents BR/xx/yy and M/zzz are the travaux préparatoires for EPC 1973.

(3) Documents EXP/Brev xxx are the travaux préparatoires for the SPC.

(4) Documents IV/nnn/yy and nnn/IV/yy are travaux préparatoires for the CEPL.

(5) Documents CA/xxx and MR/xxx are travaux préparatoires for the revision of EPC 1973 to produce EPC 2000.

(6) Documents, from 1962, numbered nnnn/IV/yy are from the EEC’s PWP for the year 19yy (e.g. 1962), where successive texts are denoted by an increment in the number yy, i.e. 1, 2, 3, etc. These texts follow from the earlier numbering system of IV/nnnn/yy.

BR/2/69 (1969), Memorandum on the setting up of a European system for the grant of patents, IGC, 13 May 1969 40

BR/6/69 (1969), Preliminary Draft Convention for a European System for the Grant of Patents: Articles 1 to 41: Prepared by Working Party I (8 to 11 July 1969), IGC, 25 July 1969 40

BR/7/69 (1969), Minutes of the meeting of Working Party I (Luxembourg, 8–11 July 1969), IGC, 29 July 1969 40, 104

BR/26/70 (1970), Minutes of the 2nd meeting held at Luxembourg on 13 to 16 January 1970, IGC,30 January 1970 41, 105

BR/88/71 (1971), First Preliminary Draft of a Convention establishing a European System for the Grant of Patents – Stage reached on 29 January 1971, IGC, 15 February 1971 41






Table of official documentsxx

BR/94/71 (1971), Minutes of the 7th meeting of Working Party I held at Luxembourg from 26 to 29 January 1971, IGC, 6 April 1971 41, 105

BR/125/71 (1971), Minutes of the 4th Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Conference for the setting up of a European System for the Grant of Patents (Luxembourg, 20 to 28 April 1971), IGC, 7 July 1971 41

BR/135/71 (1971), Minutes of the 9th meeting of Working Party I held from 12 to 22 October 1971, in Luxembourg, IGC, 17 November 1971 42, 105, 153, 182

BR/139/71 (1971), Document correcting: Second Preliminary Draft of the Convention establishing a European System for the Grant of Patents; First Preliminary Draft of the Implementing Regulations; and First Preliminary Draft of the Rules Relating to Fees – Stage reached on 26 November 1971, Secretariat, IGC, 6 December 1971 42

BR/168/72 (1972), Minutes of the 5th Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Conference for the Setting up of a European System for the Grant of Patents: Parts 1 and 3 (Luxembourg, 24–25 January and 2–4 February 1972), Secretariat, IGC, 15 March 1972 43, 106, 149

BR/169/72 (1972), Minutes of the 5th Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Conference for the Setting up of a European System for the Grant of Patents: Part II: Hearing of the non-governmental international organisations on the Second Preliminary Draft of a Convention establishing a European System for the Grant of Patents (Luxembourg, 26 January to 1 February 1972), Secretariat, IGC, 15 March 1972 153

BR/177/72 (1972), Report on the 11th meeting of Working Party I held in Luxembourg from 28 February to 3 March 1972, IGC, 13 April 1972 44, 106, 144, 149, 153

BR/199/72 (1972), Draft Convention establishing a European System for the Grant of Patents (Stage reached on 20 May 1972), IGC, 25 May 1972 44, 106

BR/218/72 (1972), Minutes of the 3rd meeting of the Co-ordinating Committee (Luxembourg, 23, 24 and 27 June 1972), IGC, 26 September 1972 45

BR/219/72 (1972), Minutes of the 6th meeting of the Inter-Governmental Conference for the setting up of a European System for the Grant of Patents (Luxembourg, 19 to 30 June 1972), IGC, 26 September 1972 45

CA/PL 2/99 (1999), Points for a revision of the EPC – summary of comments by SACEPO members in response to document SACEPO 2/98 Rev. 1, President of the EPO, 26 January 1999 58

CA/PL 6/99 (1999), Revision of EPC: Article 52(1)–(3), President of the EPO, 9 March 1999 58–60






Table of official documents xxi

CA/PL 7/99 (1999), Revision of the EPC: Articles 52(4) and 54(5), President of the EPO, 2 March 1999 58

CA/PL 4/00 (2000), Revision of the EPC: Article 54(5), President of the EPO, 24 January 2000 60–1

CA/PL 25/00 (2000), Basic proposal for the revision of the European Patent Convention, President of the EPO, 16 June 2000 62–3

CA/PL PV6 (1998), Minutes of the 6th meeting of the Committee on Patent Law (Munich, 27 and 28 January 1998) 57

CA/PL PV7 (1998), Minutes of the 7th meeting of the Committee on Patent Law (Munich, 12–13 May 1998) 57

CA/PL PV8 (1988), Minutes of the 8th meeting of the Committee on Patent Law (Munich, 3 and 4 November 1998) 57

CA/PL PV12 (2000), Minutes of the 12th meeting of the Committee on Patent Law (Munich, 1 and 2 February 2000) 62

CA/PL PV14 (2000), Minutes of the 14th meeting of the Committee on Patent Law (Munich, 3 to 6 July 2000) 163

CM (62) 160 (1962), Report of the Committee of Experts to the Committee of Ministers on the meeting held at Strasbourg from 10th to 13th July 1962, Committee of Experts on Patents, Council of Europe, 8 August 1962 36, 37, 181, 183

COM(83) 672 final/2 (1983), Biotechnology in the Community, European Commission, 3 October 1983 49

COM(85) 310 (1985), Completing the Internal Market: White Paper from the Commission to the European Council (Milan, 28–29 June 1985), Commission of the European Communities, 14 June 1985 50

COM(88) 496 final SYN 159 (1989), ‘Proposal for a Council Directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, 17 October 1988’, OJ C10, 13.1.1989 page 3 50–3

COM(94) 245 final (1994), Opinion of the EU Commission on amendments proposed by Parliament, 9 June 1994 54

COM(95) 661 final (1995), Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, Commission of the European Communities, 13 December 1995 54–5

COM(2002) 92 final (2002), Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the patentability of computer-implemented inventions, Commission of the European Communities, 20 February 2002 57

COM(2002) 545 final (2002), Development and implications of patent law in the field of biotechnological and genetic inventions, Commission of the European Communities, 7 October 2002 283






Table of official documentsxxii

EXP/Brev (53) 3 (1953), Questionnaire drawn up by the Bureau of the Committee of Experts of the Council of Europe, Committee of Experts on Patents, Council of Europe, 17 March 1953 21

EXP/Brev (53) 18 rev. (1955), Étude comparative du droit materiel en vigueur dans les pays représentés au comité d’experts, présentée par le Secrétariat Général, Committee of Experts on Patents, Council of Europe, 12 January 1955 (the ‘Gajac Report’) 23, 104, 115, 180, 289, 313

EXP/Brev (53) 19 (1953), Draft of a European Convention Relating to Patents of Invention (quoted in Wadlow 2008: 369) 21

EXP/Brev (56) 8 (1956), Observations and proposals of the German experts on the unification of general conditions for patentability (the ‘Reimer Proposal’), Committee of Experts on Patents, Council of Europe, 26 October 1956 24, 104

EXP/Brev (60) 7 (1960), Memorandum on the unification of legislation (Item 4 of the Agenda for the meeting of 28th November 1960) by Mr Finniss, Rapporteur-General, Committee of Experts on Patents, Council of Europe, 28 November 1960 (see Pila 2010 and Moufang 1991: 13) 31, 180

EXP/Brev (61) 2 rev (1961), Draft Report by the Committee of Experts to the Committee of Ministers on the meeting held at Strasbourg from 2nd to 5th May 1961, Committee of Experts on Patents, Council of Europe, 8 May 1961 30, 34, 180

EXP/Brev B (61) 3 (1961), Report of the meeting held in Paris on 16th and 17th March 1961, Committee of Experts on Patents, Council of Europe, 24 March 1961 31

EXP/Brev (61) 5 (1961), November 1961 meeting of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on Patents (referred to in Moufang 1991: 16) 35

EXP/Brev II (61) 5 (1961), Draft European Convention for facilitating the filing of applications for patents in respect of the same invention in several States and the examination thereof, adopted by the Sub-committee of Heads of Examining Patent Offices, Committee of Experts on Patents, Council of Europe, November 1961 (referred to in Document EXP/Brev (61) 8) 34

EXP/Brev (61) 8 (1961), Memorandum by the Secretariat on the meeting held at Strasbourg from 7th to 10th November 1961, Committee of Experts on Patents, Council of Europe, 13 December 1961 35–6, 181, 185

EXP/Brev (62) 1 (1962), Submissions by AIPPI on the draft SPC, Spring 1962 (referred to in Moufang 1991: 17) 36

Haertel, Kurt (1960), Studie über die grundsätzlichen Probleme der Schaffung eines europäischen Patents, das neben die nationalen Patente






Table of official documents xxiii

tritt (the ‘Haertel Study’), 7 July 1960 (see Document IV/2071/61-E, Section 14) 32, 180, 236

Info 2/PL 12 (2000), Revision of the EPC: Articles 52(4) and 54(5), epi, 1 February 2000 61

IV/2071/61-E, Section 13 (1961), First Preliminary Draft Convention relating to a European Patent Law: Articles 11 to 29, Patents Working Party, European Economic Community,14 March 1961 32, 180

IV/2071/61-E, Section 14 (1961), Comments on the first Preliminary Draft Convention relating to a European Patent Law of 14 March 1961: (Articles 11 to 29), Patents Working Party, European Economic Community, 14 March 1961 30, 32, 177, 181, 267

IV/2498/1/61-E (1961), Exceptions to patentability, Patents Working Party, European Economic Community (referred to in Pila 2009: 454) 34, 181

IV/2767/61-E (1961), Proceedings of the 1st meeting of the Patents Working Party held at Brussels from 17 to 28 April 1961, Patents Working Party, European Economic Community,3 May 1961 33–4, 258

M/Annex I (1973), ‘Report by Paul Braendli, Lic.iur., Vice-Director of the Federal Intellectual Property Office (Switzerland) on the results of Main Committee I’s proceedings’, in Government of the Federal Republic of Germany (1973): 183–9 49

M/PR/I (1973), ‘Minutes of the Proceedings of Main Committee I’, in Government of the Federal Republic of Germany (1973: 27–108 47–9, 91, 106, 165, 168–9

M/1 (1972), ‘Draft Convention establishing a European System for the Grant of Patents’, Munich Diplomatic Conference, 8 December 1972, in Government of the Federal Republic of Germany (1972: 9–181) 46

M/10 (1973), Comments by the United Kingdom G, Munich Diplomatic Conference, 29 March 1973 46–7

M/11 (1973), Comments by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, Munich Diplomatic Conference, 29 March 1973 47–8, 91, 106

M/32 (1973), Observations and proposed amendments concerning the Draft Convention and the Draft Implementing Regulations, Netherlands Government, Munich Diplomatic Conference, 1 June 1973 47–8

M/52/I/II/III (1973), Proposals for amendments to the draft texts, Netherlands delegation, Munich Diplomatic Conference, 10 September 1973 47

M/54/I/II/III (1973), Proposals for amendments to the draft texts, Swiss delegation, Munich Diplomatic Conference, 10 September 1973 48






Table of official documentsxxiv

MR/DCD 1/00 (2000), Revision of the European Patent Convention, Drafting Committee, 27 November 2000 64

MR/2/00 (2000), Basic proposal for the revision of the European Patent Convention, EPO Administrative Council, 13 October 2000 93

MR/3/00 (2000), Draft Revision Act, EPO Administrative Council, 30 October 2000 63

MR/3/00 Rev. 1 (2000), Draft Revision Act, Secretariat, 29 November 2000 63

MR/8/00 (2000), Article 14 etc., French Delegation, 17 November 2000 63

MR/15/00 (2000), Proposed amendments to Articles 52(2)(c) and 105(a) to (c), Danish Delegation, 20 November 2000 63

MR/18/00 (2000), Basic Proposal – Explanatory notes – Article 54(4) and Article 54(5), Swiss Delegation, 21 November 2000 64

MR/24/00 (2003), Conference of the Contracting States to revise the 1973 European Patent Convention: Munich, 20 to 29 November 2000 – Conference Proceedings, 15 July 2003 64–5, 170

PCT/DC/5 (1969), Regulations under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (Draft), BIRPI, 11 July 1969 (referred to in WIPO 1970: 177) 39, 104

PCT/I/3 (1967), Patent Cooperation Treaty (Draft), BIRPI, 31 May 1967 (referred to in WIPO 1970: 741–2) 39

PCT/III/5 (1968), Patent Cooperation Treaty (Draft), BIRPI, 15 July 1968 (referred to in WIPO 1970: 742) 39

Res (49) 27 (1949), European Patents Office, Council of Europe, 4 November 1949 21

Res (52) 51 (1952), Plan of future work of the Committee of Experts on Patents, Council of Europe, 12 September 1952 21

UPOV (57) 1 (1974), Lettre circulaire d’invitation adressée par le Ministère des Affaires étrangères de la République française aux ambassadeurs de France accrédités dans les états invités, France, 14 February 1957, in UPOV (1974: 13–14) 25

UPOV (57) 3 (1974), Aide-mémoire concernant les questions soulevées par la protection des obtentions végétales (annexé aux lettres circulaires d’invitation), France, 14 February 1957, in UPOV (1974: 16–17) 25

UPOV (57) 5 (1974), Délibérations de la Conférence: Allocutions d’ouverture de la Conférence, Allocution prononcée par M. Darras, représentant le Secrétaire d’état à l’industrie et au commerce, UPOV, 7 May 1957, in UPOV (1974: 22) 26

UPOV (57) 6 (1974), Procès-verbal résumé des délibérations de la première session de la Conférence établi par le Secrétaire de la Conférence, M. Laclavière, UPOV, 7–11 May 1957, in UPOV (1974: 23–6) 26






Table of official documents xxv

UPOV (58) 1 (1974), Procès-verbal de la première réunion du Comité d’experts, UPOV, 22–25 April 1958, in UPOV (1974: 31–5) 27

UPOV (58) 2 (1974), Procès-verbal de la deuxième réunion du Comité d’experts, UPOV, 16–19 September 1958, in UPOV (1974: 35–40) 27

UPOV (59) 1 (1974), Procès-verbal des réunions et texte de l’avant-projet de Convention pour la protection des obtentions végétales établis par le Comité de rédaction, UPOV, 8–9 January and 2–3 April 1959, in UPOV (1974: 40–3) 27

UPOV (59) 2 (1974), Procès-verbal de la troisième réunion du Comité d’experts, UPOV, 30 June to 3 July 1959, in UPOV (1974: 43–6) 27

UPOV (60) 1 (1974), Procès-verbal de la groupe des experts juridiques chargés d’étudier les relations entre la Convention de Paris pour la protection de la propriété industrielle et l’avant-projet de Convention pour la protection des obtentions végétales, UPOV, 18–19 January 1960, in UPOV (1974: 50–1) 28

UPOV (60) 2 (1974), Avant-projet de Convention internationale pour la protection des obtentions végétales, Comité de rédaction, UPOV, 20–23 January 1960, in UPOV (1974: 52–6) 28

UPOV (60) 3 (1974), Procès-verbal de la quatrième réunion du Comité d’experts, UPOV, 15–20 February 1960, in UPOV (1974: 57–60) 28

UPOV (60) 4 (1974), Projet de Convention internationale pour la protection des obtentions végétales, préparé par le Comité d’experts en exécution des dispositions des paragraphes 10, 11 et 12 de l’Acte final de 1957, UPOV, 20–22 April 1960, in UPOV (1974: 61–8) 28

UPOV (60) 5 (1974), Rapport du Président du Comité d’experts (M. Bustarret) constitué par le Gouvernement français en exécutions des dispositions des paragraphes 10, 11 et 12 de l’Acte final de 1957, UPOV, 12 September 1960, in UPOV (1974: 69–72) 28

UPOV (61) 1 (1974), Observations des gouvernements des organisations intergouvernementales et organisations internationales non gouvernementales sur le projet de Convention internationale pour la protection des obtentions végétales, in UPOV (1974: 72–95) 29

UPOV (61) 9 (1974), Compte rendu des travaux du Comité Général, du Comité juridique, du Comité de rédaction et du Comité ad hoc pour la rédaction de l’article 14, Deuxième Session de la Conférence, UPOV, 22 November–1 December 1961, in UPOV (1974: 119–29) 29

3076/IV/62-E, Section 4 (1962), Proceedings of the 5th meeting of the Patents Working Party held at Brussels from 2 to 18 April 1962, Patents Working Party, European Economic Community, 22 May 1962 36






Table of official documentsxxvi

4488/IV/62-E, Section 2 (1962), VE May 1962: Preliminary Draft Convention Relating to a European Patent Law, Patents Working Party, European Economic Community, 26 May 1962 36, 182

6551/IV/62-E (1962), Proceedings of the 6th meeting of the Patents Working Party held at Munich from 13 to 23 June 1962, Patents Working Party, European Economic Community, 31 July 1962 37

9081/IV/63-E-Final, Section 11 (1963), Proceedings of the 10th meeting of the Patents Working Party held at Brussels from 16 to 27 September 1963, Minutes, Patents Working Party, European Economic Community, 1 December 1963 37, 182

6498/IV/64-E, Section 3 (1964), Proceedings of the 14th meeting of the Patents Working Party held at Munich from 1 to 12 June 1964, Patents Working Party, European Economic Community, 1 August 1964 38

9663/IV/64 (1964), Joint proposal by the German and Netherlands delegations on Art. 9 regarding exceptions to the concept of invention, Patents Working Party, European Economic Community, 1964 (quoted in Pila 2010: xxxiii) 38, 104

11821/IV/64-E, Section 8 (1964), Proceedings of the 15th meeting of the Patents Working Party held at Brussels from 19 to 26 October 1964, Patents Working Party, European Economic Community, 7 December 1964 38

2335/IV/65-E, Section 1 (1965), Amendments to the Preliminary Draft Convention relating to a European Patent Law (Articles 1 to 175), Patents Working Party, European Economic Community, 22 January 1965 38, 104, 157, 178, 182






xxvii

Abbreviations

AIPPI Association Internationale pour la Protection de la Propriété Intellectuelle

ASSINSEL Association internationale des sélectionneurs professionnels

BGH Bundesgerichtshof, Federal Supreme Court, GermanyBIRPI Bureaux Internationaux Réunis pour la Protection

de la Propriété Intellectuelle (United International Bureau for the Protection of Intellectual Property)

CA Court of AppealCEPC European Convention for facilitating the filing

of applications for patents in respect of the same invention in several States and the examination thereof

CEPL Convention relating to European Patent LawCFREU Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European

UnionCIOPORA Communauté Internationale des Obtenteurs de

Plantes Ornamentales de Réproduction AsexuéeCJEU Court of Justice of the European UnionCoE Council of EuropeCM Committee of Ministers, Council of EuropeCPC Convention for the European Patent for the Common

Market (Community Patent Convention)CPL Committee on Patent LawCPVRR Council Regulation (EC) No. 2100/94 of 27 July 1994

on Community plant variety rightsEBD Directive 98/44/EC of the European Parliament and

of the Council of 6 July 1998 on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions (European Biotech Directive)

EBoA Enlarged Board of Appeal, European Patent Office






Abbreviationsxxviii

ECHR European Convention on Human RightsECJ European Court of Justice, European UnionEEC European Economic CommunityEPC European Patent Conventionepi Institute of Professional Representatives before the

European Patent OfficeEPO European Patent OfficeEPOR European Patent Office ReportsEU European UnionFIS Federation Internationale du Commerce des SemencesGATT General Agreement on Tariffs and TradeIGC Intergovernmental ConferenceIP intellectual propertyNAFTA North American Free Trade AgreementOC Convention for the Protection of Human Rights

and the Dignity of Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine: Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (Oviedo Convention)

OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

OEEC Organisation for European Economic Co-operationOJ Official Journal of the European UnionOJEPO Official Journal of the European Patent OfficePC Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial

PropertyPCt Patents Court, United KingdomPCT Patent Co-operation TreatyPWP Patents Working PartyRPC Reports of Patent, Design and Trade Mark CasesSACEPO Standing Advisory Committee before the EPOSPC Convention on the Unification of Certain Points of

Substantive Law on Patents for Invention (Strasbourg Patent Convention)

TBoA Technical Board of Appeal, European Patent OfficeTRIPS Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual

Property Rights 1994UDHR Universal Declaration of Human RightsUNFAO United Nations Food and Agriculture OrganisationUNICE Union des Industries des pays de la Communauté

européenne






Abbreviations xxix

UPOV International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants

VC Vienna Convention on the Law of TreatiesWIPO World Intellectual Property OrganizationWP-I Working Party IWTO World Trade Organization









