Amended Rules of Procedure of the EPO Boards of Appeal are coming into force on 1 January 2024

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The EPO Boards of Appeal have now published their amended Rules of Procedure and these will be effective from 1 January 2024. 

EP patent attorneys and clients alike will welcome the news that the default period for responding to an appeal will not be reduced from four months to two months (as had been proposed in the draft amendments), and we are pleased that the Administrative Council has taken account of the feedback provided in the recent consultation with users.

The amendments that have been adopted are aimed at improving the timeliness of appeal proceedings with the main change being that, in multi-party cases, the summons will be issued at least one month (rather than at least two months) after the response to the appeal has been filed.  

If you would like to discuss these changes further, please contact Emily Hayes.
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Emily Hayes

Most of Emily’s work is in the Life Sciences sector, with a focus on biotechnology. Emily has extensive experience drafting and prosecuting patent applications, as well as global portfolio management, which means that she has experience prosecuting applications not just at the European Patent Office, but worldwide. Emily has a sizeable oppositions and appeals practice and she is extremely experienced at handling hearings before the EPO.

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